In September of 1999, a series of mysterious apartment bombings in Russia left 300 dead, and the Russian president was quick to blame the Chechens. Many believe that the entire episode was an engineered pretext to put an end to Chechnya's autonomy. Pravda's online edition reports a press conference by Russian media magnate Boris Berezovsky, held in London in March this year, "to prove to the world and Russian society the connection of the Russian special services with the explosions of the apartment blocks in Russian cities of Moscow and Volgodonsk."
Allegedly, Putin had sacrificed the lives of innocent Russian civilians as a pretext for renewing the war in Chechnya. Thousands of Russia's soldiers were to die - with more dying each day - in Russia's second war in Chechnya that was to follow.
CBS estimates that in 1994 alone, "the number of people killed ranged from 30,000 to 100,000." Only a few weeks ago, a Russian MI-21 helicopter was shot down by the rebels, killing 118 soldiers abroad.
Russian life is cheap for its rulers.
Allegedly, Putin had sacrificed the lives of innocent Russian civilians as a pretext for renewing the war in Chechnya. Thousands of Russia's soldiers were to die - with more dying each day - in Russia's second war in Chechnya that was to follow.
CBS estimates that in 1994 alone, "the number of people killed ranged from 30,000 to 100,000." Only a few weeks ago, a Russian MI-21 helicopter was shot down by the rebels, killing 118 soldiers abroad.
Russian life is cheap for its rulers.