For those who remember the first Chechen war (December 1994 to August 1996) it was symbolic of the little guy teaching the big super power a lesson of a lifetime. The fact the Russians had just a few years earlier learnt such a lesson in Afghanistan didn’t seem to stop them coming back for more.

The history of conflict in Chechnya is much akin to that in Afghanistan, a honourable Muslim people continually fought by colonial enemies, but never bowed and forever firm in their will to defend their lands.  A will that led  Dzhokhar Dudayev to declare independence from Russian in 1994. The then mostly sober Yeltsin decided it was a step too far and a military operation began to bring Dudayev into line.

The Russians threw everything they had behind what was a very unpopular conflict in Russia, the thought of fighting their own people did not go down well with the Russian masses.  The battle for Chechen capital Grozny would go down in History as one of the biggest military failures of modern times. Where the Russians had military might and numbers, the Chechens has an inspirational leader in Dudayev and they had Islam.

Day after day the Russian claimed to be controlling Grozny after reducing it to rubble when the reality on the ground was hundreds of Mujahedeen shouting ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ outside the Presidential palace. Russian Tanks littered the streets sent into urban warfare without adequate air support facing an enemy that would not relent.  The battle for Grozny cost Russia much, troops, tanks, helicopters and probably most costly of all its air of invincibility.

The people of Chechnya  have paid a heavy price every since no real peace has come to the region and they have been the victims of the most heinous of crimes. A much forgotten people even amongst the Muslims, Chechnya  has slowly drifted firmly into Russian control since Putin came to power.

Remembering the battle of Grozny it is sad to see Chechnya  in such a sorry political state today. The brave men who defended the city so many years ago have been replaced by a group of Russian stooges who care nothing for their own people.

The current leader of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov  a Putin favourite has just turned 35 and to celebrate his birthday, he has invited Hollywood celebrities to come party with him.  It wasn’t too long ago that he invited a host of ex-footballers to come and open a 30,000 capacity football stadium in Grozny.  With the likes of Maradona, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Alessandro Costacurta, and Luis Figo in attendance it was an all star cast.

Those celebrating his birthday with him included Hollywood actress Hilary Swank , Jean-Claude Van Damme and Vanessa Mai who was reportedly paid $500,000 just for showing up. Much has been said about such celebrities supporting a man who has a poor human rights record, the lure of big money seems to be too much for failed A-listers.

Kadyrov  the son of a treacherous father who aligned himself with the Russians is obsessed with his own self publicity rather than the affairs of the Ummah. Much like Mubarak and Gaddafi he feels he can never be taken from power, maybe one day he will learn the same lesson they did.

When asked about wasting his peoples money on his lavish lifestyle, Kadyrov replied ‘Allah gives it to us’ the arrogance is evident.  The likes of Van Damme care little about where the money comes from they are willing to do anything for it, Van Damme even went as far as saying “I love you Mr Kadyrov!”. They say money can’t buy you love but for Kadyrov it seems it can.

Kadyrov a self publicist and a man who has learnt much about preserving an image of himself from his mentor Putin should take heed of the words of Allah (swt):

“I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. And if they see the way of consciousness, they will not adopt it as a way; but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it as a way. That is because they have denied Our signs and they were heedless of them.” [AL-ARAF, 146]

As for the people of Chechnya I would still like to believe they are more like the brave souls that did so much to defend Islam so many years ago. Their sacrifices may have been forgotten in this world but for Allah (swt) they will be eternal.

BBC news coverage from the time can be found here and here. (I do not in any way endorse the views of the BBC on the matter. Unfortunately there is some russian voiceovers on the videos )