Chapter 363 Hell on Earth: I just want her to live.

The setting sun is rapidly falling from the tall buildings, about to plunge into the Moscow River.

The jeep sped along under the twilight sky, heading towards the container market.

People, people everywhere, the area around the container market canteen was packed with people.

The evacuated merchants, their families who rushed to the scene, and onlookers crowded outside the police cordon, forming a dense crowd.

The flashing red and blue police lights stung every pair of eyes that looked at it. A dense array of armored vehicles completely surrounded the canteen.

Punoning's hoarse voice, strained to remain calm, blared through the loudspeaker, broken and fragmented by the wind: "Listen up, people inside... Releasing the hostages is your only way out... Your safety is guaranteed..."

Between each shout, there was a crackling noise from the electricity.

Ivanov couldn't even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before he jumped off, stumbling forward.

If the bodyguard hadn't been quick-witted and caught him, he would have fallen flat on his face.

"Thank you." Ivanov continued running forward without stopping.

He squeezed through the crying children, the panicked women, the bewildered men, and the old mother wailing on the ground, until he reached the edge of the police line.

"Hey! Sir." A fully armed special police officer from the Ministry of Internal Affairs stopped him. "Back up, back up, everyone back up!"

Ivanov struggled to move forward, but a hand on the back of his neck dragged him backward.

Punonin hurriedly jumped off the armored command vehicle, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and dragged him onto the command vehicle.

"Are you crazy? Ivan, do you want to die? One more step and a gun will be in your head."

Are they blind? Through the gaps in the windows with their thick curtains drawn, you can see dark gun barrels, windows that could fire bullets at any moment.

Ivanov felt no relief at surviving the ordeal, nor any gratitude for his old friend's rescue. Instead, he clenched his fist and punched Punonin in the chin.

He's gone mad, of course he's gone mad. Wang is still in the cafeteria.

He was trying to find connections and influence the president to change his decision. Upon receiving the news, he rushed back, praying to God the whole way, hoping it was all a prank.

Seeing the state of the container market, how could he not go crazy?

A gasp rippled through the command vehicle. Punonin's men hurriedly restrained Ivanov, and some even drew their guns and pointed them at Ivanov's head.

The man who attacked the police remained completely unmoved. With his arm pinned down and his head pressed down, he stubbornly stuck out his neck, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at Punonin: "I'm such an idiot! Vlamikil, I actually believed your nonsense and thought you could protect the King's safety."

The tax police major general was caught off guard and punched, his head snapping back, and he could already taste the metallic tang of metal in his mouth.

He wiped his chin, his anger flaring: "She went back to Moscow without informing me beforehand."

But his explanation ignited Ivanov's powder keg: "You promised to protect the container market! Is this your highest level of security?"

The cries and shouts outside were deafening; every family member of the hostages was weeping and pleading.

1200 people, 1200 hostages, behind them are 1200 families!

Punonin, embarrassed, said in frustration, "Who would have thought that the Chechens would come to Moscow to take hostages?"

Even any border city would be more likely to be attacked like this than Moscow.

None of these Muslims are normal; they're all lunatics!

Ivanov roared, "You can't believe it?! You actually allowed Chechen militants to advance so unchecked! No other country in the world is as useless as you!"

Punonin had nothing to say.

This Chechen illegal armed group of over a hundred people hijacked a Ministry of Internal Affairs truck on the Chechen battlefield. They used the Ministry of Internal Affairs' sign and claimed that the coffins on the truck contained the remains of Ministry of Internal Affairs soldiers who had died on the battlefield. They drove through checkpoints and directly to Moscow, where they met up with their accomplices who had already infiltrated the city and orchestrated this shocking hostage situation.

Is it absurd? It is indeed utterly ridiculous.

Before the shadow of war had even dissipated, the checkpoints had already become mere decorations.

But Punonin still insisted: "We discovered their trail in Moscow and intercepted them in advance. Otherwise, there would be even more robbers hiding in the canteen now."

It was precisely because they intercepted and captured members of this armed group that Punonin, the unfortunate on-site commander, was able to understand the mess he was facing.

Ivanov laughed angrily: "So, should we award you medals to recognize your great achievements?"

"Ivan!" Punonin said angrily, "Now is not the time for you to lose your temper."

"Should I smile at you then?" Ivanov roared, throwing another punch. "What are you still standing there for? Agree to their demands and release them."

Those are Chechen militants; they are a bunch of sadists who will torture and kill hostages!

Punonin hastily dodged his chaotic attack and grabbed his wrist: "Don't go crazy! Do you know what they're demanding? Release all the Chechens they're holding, withdraw troops from Chechnya, recognize Chechen independence! And they want it broadcast live worldwide!"

How could that be? The federal government would never agree to such a request!

"What's impossible?" Ivanov roared back. "Agree to their demands first; saving lives is the priority! The King is still inside!"

Punoning exclaimed incredulously, "Has your brain been ruined by alcohol? It's being broadcast live globally, the whole world is watching! We made a promise, we can't go back on it!"

"Pah!" Ivanov scoffed. "What are you pretending to be now, this gentlemanly behavior, this pretense of contractual integrity? Haven't we Russians torn up enough treaties already?"

This is the biggest joke in the world!

"If the federal government is so committed to contracts, why does it disregard the contract we signed and force my Sakhalin-1 to supply oil and gas to Siberia?"

Punonin made a gesture that resembled surrender: "Alright, Ivan, stop talking about irrelevant things. It's impossible. The president only ordered me to rescue the hostages; there's absolutely no way I'm going to agree to their demands."

“Then, President…” Ivanov was abruptly interrupted before he could finish speaking.

The subordinate reported to Punonin: "The Alpha Special Forces have arrived."

Punonin immediately got out of the car and went to meet up with the special forces.

When it comes to rescuing hostages, special forces are the best choice.

Ivanov hurriedly followed.

The air was thick with a nauseating, mixed odor: the smell of dust, the burnt smell of rubber tires from the scorching sun, the sour smell of sweat, and a faint, lingering metallic and gunpowder fumes, along with the stench of blood.

They rush to burrow into people's nasal cavities, reminding them that this is a battlefield that can erupt at any moment.

Punonin shook hands with the commander of the special forces and conveyed the president's instructions: to demand that the kidnappers release the hostages.

The president did not give a clear answer as to whether to resolve the issue through negotiation or force.

Ivanov interjected impatiently, "Sir, please guarantee the safety of the hostages. They can have anything they want, I will give them anything."

The masked commander had only two dark holes on his face, but his gaze, shooting out from those holes, could still grip Ivanov's throat.

He held out his hand and said a single, concise word: "Drawings."

What kind of drawings? Architectural drawings, especially for the container market, particularly for the canteen and surrounding buildings.

The managers of the container market were already prepared.

He couldn't imagine how Mr. Ivanov would punish him if something happened to Miss Wang.

Good heavens! The Ministry of Internal Affairs police are a bunch of idiots. If it were the paratroopers back then, they would never have let such a terrible thing happen at the container market.

Ivanov stared at the architectural drawings being handed to him, then abruptly pulled Punonin aside, pleading in a low, urgent voice, "Vlamikil, I beg you, release the king. We'll leave immediately, leave Russia right now. We don't want anything here anymore, just release the king. We'll never come back, and you won't have to fear the king anymore."

Punonin stared wide-eyed, unable to believe his ears: "Ivan, are you really crazy? What nonsense are you talking about!"

“Am I talking nonsense?” Ivanov was on the verge of a breakdown. “Then tell me, why would Chechens come to the container market? Moscow has countless high-class buildings, where people are of higher status, and it’s all empty, with no good vantage points to snipe.”

Compared to those buildings, the container market is not a good option at all.

Who's here? It's all small vendors. In this era, even if you're rolling in money, a small vendor can't possibly gain the favor of mainstream society.

The shops here are lined up one after another, and the canteen is surrounded by a cluster of buildings of similar height, each window of which could be used as a gun barrel for a bunker.

It's safe to say that if these militants had any brains at all, they wouldn't have chosen this place to attack.

Even doing it in a theater would be better than doing it here.

When it comes to dealing with Chechens, no one can compare to the NKVD troops commanded by Punonin.

His ability to behead various Chechen leaders one after another demonstrates just how deeply his people had infiltrated the Chechen forces.

Using Chechen illegal armed groups to achieve one's own goals is not a pipe dream for a tax police major general.

Punoning almost choked on his breath: "You ask me why? Well, you should ask why you turned the container market's canteen into a world food expo?"

Chechen militants' primary objective in taking hostages was to escalate the situation and draw global attention to Chechnya's independence aspirations.

Therefore, kidnapping foreigners to force other countries to get involved is the simplest and most straightforward method for them.

Ironically, Moscow is where the most foreigners are.

One option is the embassy district, but that's not a good choice because the security measures are too strict, and attacking a foreign embassy would be tantamount to declaring war.

One option is a high-end department store, but that won't work either, because the Chechen militants are unfamiliar with the terrain.

"That's why I chose your container market."

Punonin gritted his teeth, "You serve food from all over the world here, and foreigners are happy to come and join in the fun. Besides, don't forget, there were Chechen gangs right next to the container market back then!"

Last year, after Ivanov got in touch with Mayor Luzhkov, the latter, in return for Ivanov's contribution to building the hospital, took action to eliminate the Chechen gang that frequently extorted money in the market.

However, the destruction of a gang does not mean that the people in the gang are doomed.

Among them were members of the Mafia who fled back to their homeland in Chechnya and joined the Chechen army.

This time, they came to Moscow to cause trouble, bringing up both old and new grudges, and they directly chose the container market.

Ivanov was momentarily speechless, unsure how to react.

He even thought of a Chinese saying: "Everything has a cause and effect."

The sun sank below the city skyline, leaving behind a sickly orange-red and bruised-purple hue on the horizon, stretching the shadows of the huge shipping containers to appear even more menacing.

The warmth of the day was being rapidly drawn away, and the evening wind in Moscow at the end of May carried a biting chill, stirring up dust and bits of trash on the ground.

The window on the second floor of the cafeteria opened, and the robbers' warning voice came through: "Don't make any rash moves. If you dare to hurt even one of our brothers, we will kill ten hostages in return."

Before Punoning could respond, the crowd gasped in surprise.

Because a person, or more accurately, a humanoid creature, a blood gourd, was hanging out of the window.

What kind of person was he? The onlookers holding binoculars trembled, and the military binoculars they were holding fell to the ground in fright.

He had never seen such a horrific scene. The man's body was completely covered in sores that there wasn't a single good piece of flesh left. It was even more horrific than the Russian soldiers being tortured on the Chechen battlefields as shown on NTV news.

He suspected that the unfortunate man in the police uniform had all the bones in his body broken.

"This is the first gift!"

The kidnappers' voices came from the second-floor window, "We're not playing house. If you don't meet our demands, there will be more gifts for you. Happy Children's Day, little ones."

Punoning's guards had already gripped their guns tightly. SWAT team members moved quickly and quietly, their bulletproof vests scraping against the container walls with a clearly audible screech.

The next second, a muffled "bang" startled the birds that were peeking out to watch the commotion and the stray cats in the container market, causing them to scatter in all directions.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs policeman, who looked like a blood gourd, fell heavily to the ground and was practically reduced to a pile of minced meat.

In a physical sense.

A gasp rippled through the crowd, and many instinctively stepped back.

Only medical personnel, protected by fully armed special forces, bravely rushed forward and lifted the disfigured body onto a stretcher.

Ivanov's vision went black.

He couldn't afford it, so he immediately made up his mind: "I'll ask the president for an order."

Isn't it just the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas field?

No, he doesn't want it anymore.

If that's not enough, they'll abandon Moscow's commercial streets, container markets, the ZIL truck factory, the Moskvich automobile factory, the Red Revolutionary machine tool factory, and the Kuznetsk steel plant.

All that matters is that the king returns alive.

Punonin grabbed him and said, "You think I didn't call the president? You think I didn't want more specific instructions? I couldn't get through, there was no response!"

Ivanov's eyes widened in fury: "How could we not get in touch with him? He hasn't had dinner yet at this hour, he shouldn't be drinking, he shouldn't be so drunk that he can't wake up."

The tax police major general shook his head wearily: "Who knows? We just can't get in touch with him. Maybe our president got drunk at noon, or maybe he replaced his afternoon tea coffee with alcohol, or maybe..."

He lowered his voice, "He had a heart attack and is being resuscitated."

The president's poor health is a state secret.

But Punonin's identity meant that this was no secret to him.

Ivanov turned his head and stared intently at his old friend.

There is another possibility, the one that Punonin didn't say aloud.

That is, the president knows everything, has no problems, but doesn't know how to handle this thorny issue and doesn't want to take any responsibility.

So he hid; he didn't show himself.

An immense sorrow, like a mountain, weighed heavily on Ivanov.

These people, these representatives of the government, who should have stood up to turn the tide, have all disappeared.

Who can he rely on? What should he do?

Wang Xiao, who was stuck in the cafeteria, also wanted to ask this question, but didn't know who to ask.

This is incredibly unlucky; it's not the first time she's encountered a hostage situation like this.

When she went to Moldova to buy an airplane, she and Ivanov were kidnapped by local separatists at a hotel in Chisinau.

However, because Wang Xiao had a Romanian residence permit at the time, and the Moldova independence movement was pro-Romanian, she didn't suffer much.

Most importantly, those separatists were a bunch of hot-blooded young people, with a touch of innocent foolishness, completely different from the Chechen guys in front of them.

The Chechen militants who kidnapped them are, needless to say, veterans of the battlefield, with lives on their hands and a history of killing.

They really don't care about human life.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs policeman who looked like a bloody gourd was the result of them brutally murdering the hostages, slashing and shooting them repeatedly, right in front of them.

The police officers themselves were not subjected to cruel retribution because they resisted or caused trouble, as they claimed.

They didn't do anything at all; they just came to the cafeteria to eat noodles, and they were caught and abused.

The only reason the robbers did this was that they needed a chicken—a chicken to make an example of.

The loudspeaker outside the window was still blaring, this time with a new surrender promise: "Listen, the government can pay you a ransom, provide you with the transportation you want, and open a safe passage for your evacuation. Now, please release the women, children, the elderly, and the seriously wounded first."

The ringleader grinned cruelly: "The Russians will never understand what's going on."

He raised his voice, "Listen, our demands will not change. It seems you can't see our resolve."

He casually pointed and said, "Grab five Russians and give them extra gifts for Children's Day."

The awkward thing is that there are very few Russian merchants in the container market; most of the business owners here are Chinese and merchants from Eastern Europe and the CIS countries.

The situation in the canteen was similar; those who came to eat were either business owners, foreign tourists visiting Moscow, and a few locals.

The kidnappers were very alert and unwilling to repeatedly search through the crowd, lest they find themselves vulnerable to attacks from both sides.

So after capturing four Russians, including Lyuba, the kidnappers began looking for a fifth target.

The lead kidnapper's gaze fell on the Chinese people; they were simply too conspicuous. In Russia, East Asians are already a striking presence.

"Pick one."

He casually remarked, "Our embassy also needs to receive Children's Day gifts."

The goal is for a Chinese person to come and warn the embassies below. They shouldn't just stand there and watch, thinking it has nothing to do with them, or that they wouldn't dare kill foreigners.

All the Chinese people in the canteen felt a chill run down their spines, wishing they could transform into Tu Xingsun and escape underground.

Some people were so frightened that they started crying.

Amidst the chaos of war, a plump, fair-skinned man suddenly shouted, his voice hoarse, "What do you want with us? What's it to us?"

He suddenly pointed at Wang Xiao, shouting until his voice was hoarse, "Arrest her! She's the owner here, she's valuable, and she has connections with high-ranking Russian officials!"

Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao wished they could devour the man alive on the spot.

Is he even wearing a penis? Is he even a man? Pushing a woman forward at a time like this.

But with the dark muzzle of a gun pressing down on them, the two bodyguards could do nothing but watch helplessly as their boss was pulled up.

When Wang Xiao stood up, her vision went black. She felt a little regretful that she had been so busy talking to people before the kidnappers rushed into the cafeteria that she hadn't had time to eat.

Now look what's happened, we're going to die hungry.

What? The Russian government has already sent people to prepare for a rescue. Shouldn't she have faith in the fighting spirit of the Russians?

Haha, have you ever heard that hellish joke?

That is, kidnappers all over the world are afraid of a Russian rescue.

Because the Russian task force would not hesitate to eliminate all the hostages first, and then deal with the kidnappers.

They are a nation of steel, and will never tolerate being ridden on by kidnappers.

She knew of a Russian hostage rescue case, which also seemed to have taken place in Moscow, and it was also carried out by Chechens.

After a series of operations by the renowned Alpha Group, it appears that more than thirty kidnappers and over a hundred hostages died.

Hoping for a rescue is less desirable than hoping the kidnappers regain their senses.

Wang Xiao raised his hands in surrender. When he was dragged in front of the kidnapper leader, he knelt down without hesitation: "Don't kill me. Killing me will only make your situation worse and will not help you at all."

The kidnapper leader, wearing a green headband, sized her up, his gaze icy: "Why don't we kill you?"

Wang Xiao said seriously, "I have money. I can give you money to buy weapons and equipment to support your continued guerrilla warfare. But if you kill me, this money will become a bounty for my revenge. Sir, we Chinese have a saying: no matter what you do, if you want to succeed, you must make more friends and fewer enemies. Right now, we shouldn't be enemies."

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Note: A detail was changed in the previous chapter; the date should now be June 1, 1995.

Furthermore, handling large-scale hostage situations is a huge challenge for any country or region. In June 1995, Russia did indeed experience a hostage crisis orchestrated by Chechen militants; the following information is sourced from the internet.

Why has Russia been given such a critical advantage by the "Wolf of the Caucasus"?

Source | Outlook Think Tank Article | Wang Zhengxing

1

Forcing Mr. Ye to sit down at the negotiating table

In 1991, after the "August 19 Coup", the Soviet Union was on the verge of collapse.

On September 6, Dudayev, a retired Air Force Major General and Chechen who had been awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" during the Afghan War, overthrew the local government by force; in November, he announced the establishment of the "Ichkerya Chechen Republic" and formed the illegal armed "Chechen National Guard".

On November 9, in an effort to put pressure on the Russian Federation government, Dudayev's bodyguard Basayev orchestrated a hijacking. He and four others hijacked a Tu-154 passenger plane carrying 171 passengers from Mineral Water, Russia, with grenades and guns. They flew to Turkey, escaped unscathed, and returned to Chechnya.

This incident directly cemented Basayev's position in the minds of Chechen terrorists.

[Note: In the 18th century, Chechnya was incorporated into Russia. During the Soviet era, it was part of the Russian Federation, not a constituent republic.]

Chechnya's geographical location is extremely important. Serving as a bridge connecting Russia with the three South Caucasus republics of Algeria, Dagestan, and Ingushetia, it is a vital route for Russia's access to Europe from the Caucasus region. Furthermore, it connects to oil pipelines linking the Caspian and Black Seas. Moreover, Dudayev has the support of the United States, Britain, and other countries; Russia must eliminate this separatist force to safeguard national unity.

However, at this time, Russia was still in the aftershocks of the collapse of the Soviet Union. People's hearts were not at peace, the economy was in ruins, and Russia was powerless to solve the Chechen problem, which provided room for Dudayev's separatist ambitions to run rampant.

Three years later, the situation in Russia stabilized, and on December 11, 1994, Yeltsin sent troops to Chechnya, thus beginning the First Chechen War.

The following February, after suffering some casualties, the Russian army captured Grozny, the Chechen capital. Chechen militants retreated into the mountains and waged guerrilla warfare. During the Battle of Grozny, Basayev and his personally formed "Abkhaz" battalion gained immense prestige.

As the Russian army continues its advance, the illegal armed groups are losing ground, and the Chechen conflict is nearing its end. Basayev has decided to extend the war into Russian territory, forcing Yeltsin to the negotiating table.

2

Terrorists jumped out of the coffin

On the morning of June 14, in the Stavropol Krai of Russia, a police car led the way, followed by three military trucks. The first truck was carrying coffins containing the remains of fallen soldiers transported from the Chechen front, while the other two carried soldiers responsible for escorting the coffins.

Due to the special nature of the cargo being transported and the lack of a robust defense system, the convoy passed through checkpoints along the way without thorough inspection and arrived at Budyonnovsk, a city about 100 kilometers from Chechnya, at noon.

When the convoy reached the vicinity of the Ministry of the Interior in the city center, the "corpses" on the vehicles suddenly crawled out of the coffins, raised their guns and opened fire on the surrounding area, killing nearby police officers and sentries. They quickly occupied the Ministry of the Interior building and raised the Chechen flag on the roof. Subsequently, they split into multiple groups and successively attacked landmark buildings such as the police station, communications bureau, bank, market, and cultural palace, and took hostages.

It turns out these people were Chechen terrorists disguised as federal soldiers withdrawn from the front lines, led by Basayev, who was wearing a green headband. The North Caucasus region is a sensitive area for Russia; the failure of the region's defense early warning system and intelligence work during wartime provides opportunities for terrorists.

The terrorists, who had infiltrated the city in advance, joined the battle according to the agreed signal; their strength was around 70. Some of the terrorists hijacked several buses and ran amok in the streets, constantly firing at those around them and taking hostages.

Upon receiving the news, the Stavropol Krai quickly dispatched a large number of police and troops to the scene. The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service also sent troops to provide support, including the renowned Alpha Group.

Under the strong offensive of the military and police forces, the terrorists withdrew from the Ministry of Internal Affairs building and fled into the city in multiple directions, taking hostages along the way. Those who did not cooperate were shot dead. They regrouped at a hospital in eastern Budyonnovsk in the evening.

There are approximately 450 medical staff, 150 children, about 350 pregnant women, postpartum women, and patients here, as well as about 200 people kidnapped by terrorists from the city.

Basayev holds the lives of 1,200 innocent people in his hands.

To protect the hostages, the attacking Russian military and police halted their advance and deployed armored vehicles to completely surround the hospital.

This hostage situation differed from ordinary hostage incidents. Not only were there a large number of hostages, but the terrorists were also heavily influenced by extremist and separatist ideologies. Most of them had survived the brutal fighting on the Chechen front, possessed extensive combat experience, and used military-grade weapons. Their leader, Basayev, had received formal officer training and was skilled in troop deployment.

Basayev set the following conditions:

*When one of his men was killed, he killed ten hostages.

*If the hostages are injured, then five hostages will be killed;

*Demanding that Russian authorities send journalists to the hospital for interviews and send representatives to negotiate.

3

Unable to make a decision, the hostages were killed one after another.

At this time, there was no precedent in the world for properly handling such a large-scale hostage situation. Then-Russian President Yevgeny Basayev demanded the immediate release of the hostages and appointed the head of the State Security Service, Stepashin, as the overall commander to take measures to rescue them. Then-Deputy Prime Minister Yegorov, Defense Minister Grachev, Interior Minister Yelin, and Stavropol Krai Governor Kuznetsov subsequently arrived at the scene.

Yevgeny's human rights advisor and State Duma representative, Kovalev, believes that Basayev's death declaration is "a bluff." This individual, a State Duma member, has publicly accused Russia of military intervention in Chechnya and of supporting terrorists.

Should the solution be peaceful negotiations, a military rescue, or a combination of both? Ye gave no clear instructions. Stepashin had never dealt with such a thorny issue before and was at a loss, failing to find the journalists Basayev wanted or arrange for negotiation experts.

Terrorists shot and killed six wounded Russian military and police personnel, and later that night shot and killed several hostages, throwing their bodies out of windows. This was another demonstration of a tough stance to the Russian government, while also putting immense psychological pressure on the thousands of hostages.

On the 15th, Stepashin arranged for negotiators to contact Basayev. The true purpose of the attack finally surfaced: the terrorists proposed:

Russia releases all Chechens it has imprisoned;

Russia withdraws troops from Chechnya;

*Recognize Chechen independence.

How to solve this difficult problem? Ye's overall policy was vague, Stepashin was indecisive, and the negotiating team's work could not proceed. Initially, everyone believed that Basayev only wanted money and people, and negotiations revolved around ransom and safe passage, without any negotiating strategy whatsoever. The Russian side responded:

*Random payment is possible;

* Transportation can be provided to create a safe passage for Basayev and his men to evacuate;

*Release women, children, the elderly, and the seriously wounded.

The two sides reached a stalemate. Basayev then requested a press conference to be broadcast globally, which Stepašen firmly refused.

At 8 PM, in an attempt to pressure the Russian authorities, Basayev shot and killed six hostages and threatened to kill ten more if they did not agree to his demand for a press conference. Stepashin had no choice but to comply.

Terrorists in Chechnya claimed responsibility for planting two large bombs in Moscow. Russia has raised security levels in Moscow and other major cities, deploying additional police to key targets, checking vehicles, and focusing on people moving from the Caucasus region.

4

A swift victory turned into a stalemate.

On the 16th, the Russian State Duma held a meeting to discuss the hostage crisis, but still failed to produce any practical guidelines. Incredibly, with the fate of 1200 hostages unknown and the nation in dire need of support, Yeltsin did not travel to Budyonnovsk, but instead went to Canada to attend the G7 summit, appealing to the international community for assistance in front of the media.

The unfolding events have led more and more people to realize that Russia is likely to launch a military rescue operation. Yegorov, speaking outside the Budyonnovsk police station, said that he is negotiating with Basayev with all his might and will not risk the lives of innocent civilians; Russia will withdraw its troops from Chechnya for every terrorist who lays down his arms.

Basayev wasn't idle either. He planted booby traps and set up crossfire points at the main entrances to the hospital, while simultaneously monitoring the enemy's movements through live news broadcasts on television, ready to kill at any moment.

Terrified hostages crammed into the corridors, surrounded by constant patrols by terrorists; food and water were scarce, the wounded received no medical care, and the occasional reporter who entered was seen as a savior by the hostages; family members of the hostages waited anxiously outside the hospital, constantly checking the notices posted on the bulletin board, hoping to find news of their loved ones...

During the negotiations, Alpha Group repeatedly attempted to reconnoiter the situation inside the hospital. However, the area in front of the hospital was open, with limited visibility from the surrounding buildings. The terrorists and hostages were mixed together, and technical and manual reconnaissance methods were ineffective. The number of terrorists, their type of firepower, their positional structure, and the obstacles they had set up were unknown. They couldn't even find a structural diagram of the hospital's main building.

The existing intelligence was insufficient to support the command in formulating a comprehensive action plan, and the assault teams struggled to organize targeted pre-battle training. The best way to buy time was to delay, but the Russians clearly failed to achieve this.

On the 17th, Stepašen decided to launch a full-scale attack.

At 5:30 a.m., the battle began, with Alpha taking the lead and other military and police units providing support. The hospital's garage, canteen, emergency room, and surrounding buildings were gradually brought under Russian military and police control, and nearly 100 hostages were rescued.

The operational environment was a large hospital complex, with booby traps and crossfire points deployed within the buildings. The Russian forces encountered difficulties during the assault on the main building. Basayev had positioned crossfire points in the open area in front of the main building, and more importantly, the Russian attacking forces belonged to different units—including the Russian Federation army, the Ministry of Internal Affairs mobile units, the Security Service Alpha special forces, and regional security forces from Stavropol Krai and Budyonnovsk—leading to a lack of effective coordination.

The commando team launched three attacks, but with limited success. While crossing the open area near the hospital's main building, Alpha suffered unnecessary casualties due to command errors and poor infantry-tank coordination, encountering crossfire from terrorists.

Afterwards, Basayev commented on the Russian military and police who participated in the rescue operation: "They are a group of heroic warriors led by mediocre people."

Thus, the swift and decisive offensive turned into a stalemate, the last thing the commander wanted to see in the armed rescue operation.

5

Using human shields, they arrogantly withdrew.

After a brief regrouping, the Russian side deployed armored vehicles to directly bombard the hospital's main building, and Alpha Group seized the opportunity to storm the ground floor of the main building and rescue dozens of hostages.

Upon seeing this, Basayev forcibly moved the hostages to the window to use them as human shields and ordered the hostages to be slaughtered.

Stepašen believed that continuing the attack would become increasingly uncontrollable—even if all the terrorists were eliminated, it would result in the deaths of a large number of hostages, making it impossible to explain to the public and the international community. He ordered a halt to the offensive.

At 9:00 AM, the battle ended. Fourteen terrorists were killed, and 11 Russian military and police personnel were killed (including three Alpha Group members). More than one hundred hostages were injured or killed in the fighting due to friendly fire, stray bullets, and massacres.

After negotiations, Russia ceased its offensive, and Basayev released 154 women and children.

The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that the head of the security bureau is clearly unable to handle it.

On the morning of the 18th, then-Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin negotiated with Basayev via a dedicated telephone line. Basayev's demands remained largely unchanged:

*Russian troops have ceased military operations in Chechnya and withdrawn.

*Initiate peace talks between Russia and Chechnya;

*Provide transportation and open safe passages to ensure the evacuation of him and his subordinates.

After more than ten hours of protracted negotiations, Chernomyrdin finally compromised and issued a public statement at 8:35 p.m. that day:

*The Russian military ceased all military operations in Chechnya at 5:00 AM on June 19, 1995, and Basayev released all hostages at the same time.

A delegation led by Mikhailov was formed and traveled to Grozny, the Chechen capital, on the 18th to be responsible for peace negotiations on all Chechen issues.

Basayev will provide transportation to ensure his and his men's safe arrival in Chechnya after releasing all hostages.

Following the announcement, Basayev began releasing hostages in batches, and the Russian side began preparing buses and safe passageways. At 5:00 AM on the 19th, Russian forces in Chechnya ceased all military operations.

Inside the hospital, Basayev held 120 hostages (including 16 journalists and 9 State Duma representatives), and the rest were released. The terrorists then forced the hostages onto seven buses in batches, with the hostages, acting as shields and bargaining chips, seated by the windows, while the terrorists sat in the aisles.

After all his men were on board, Basayev did not immediately order the departure. He continued to demand the bodies of his slain comrades, claiming these terrorists were "warriors who sacrificed themselves for Chechen independence." The Russian side urgently provided a refrigerated truck for his use.

With preparations complete, the Russian troops watched as Basayev's convoy drove away from Budyonnovsk in a grand procession.

During the convoy's journey, the terrorists gave each hostage a document and asked them to sign it, which stated that they "voluntarily join Basayev's army and take responsibility for this action." Some complied, while others refused.

The hostages were released after the convoy entered the village of Zadak in Chechnya via Dagestan.

6

Russia's compromise has its Achilles' heel held captive.

The incident has now ended. According to statistics reported by Kuznetsov, the governor of Stavropol Krai, 129 hostages died (including 18 who died from their injuries), 415 were injured, a large number of civilians suffered enormous psychological trauma, 11 Russian military and police personnel were killed, 54 government buildings and 110 houses were destroyed, and the direct economic loss exceeded 171 billion rubles.

Fourteen terrorists were killed, while the rest escaped almost unharmed.

The Russian government's handling of the incident greatly disappointed people from all walks of life. Yegorov's approval rating dropped, the hostages strongly protested against the government's release of the terrorists, the State Duma proposed a motion of no confidence in the government and it was supported by a majority of the members. Several high-ranking officials, including then Deputy Prime Minister Yegorov, Defense Minister Grachev, Interior Minister Yelin, and State Security Director Stepashin, resigned one after another. Kovalev, who supported terrorists and separatist forces, was dismissed from the State Duma.

However, these were merely the surface issues; the true consequences of the incident only began to emerge in the days that followed—the Russian government's choice to compromise gave the terrorists a crucial advantage.

Yevgeny's compromises emboldened Chechen terrorists, who gradually spread to the neighboring North Caucasus region and even infiltrated the Russian heartland—Basayev tasted the sweetness of carrying out terrorist attacks, finding it far more profitable than war. Simultaneously, he accumulated experience in organizing large-scale group terrorist attacks, which he subsequently tested and refined on Russian soil.

On November 23, Basayev announced on television that radioactive materials had been placed around Moscow. Russian emergency response teams conducted a thorough search and eventually discovered four radioactive containers containing medical cesium stolen by terrorists from a Budyonnovsk hospital. This radiation-related terrorist attack caused widespread panic in Russian society.

In August 1996, Ye ordered the withdrawal of troops from Chechnya. With the signing of the Khasavyurt Peace Agreement, the gains made by the Russian army in Chechnya at a great cost vanished.