Grozny refugee convoy shooting
Encyclopedia
The Grozny safe corridor shooting incident happened on December 3, 1999, when about 40 people fleeing the besieged
Chechen
capital Grozny
(geographical coordinates 43.316667°N 45.683333°W) were allegedly killed by Russia
n policemen.
According to accounts from survivors, a refugee
convoy consisting of about 50 people in seven or eight passenger car
s and one bus
marked with white flag
s, was heading towards the border with the Russian republic of Ingushetia
, when they approached a federal roadblock
near the village of Goity. One survivor described masked OMON
troops opening fire with automatic rifle
s from their position in the nearby forest without warning. The bus exploded as bullets pierced its gas tank. After the shooting, Russian soldiers gave first aid
and painkillers to the handful of survivors and brought them to the hospital in Sleptsovskaya, Ingushetia, where they were interviewed by journalists.
The incident happened just a few miles from a major battle at the crossroads of Urus-Martan
, which sits astride a road that Chechen militants were using as a supply line. Another battle was under way not far from there, in the town of Alkhan-Kale. The Russian Ministry of Defence
stated that the media reports of this incident were disinformation
. Officials were quoted as saying that 30 vehicles were destroyed on roads leading out of Grozny, but that all the cars contained rebels, not civilians. They also said that they had opened a safe passage out of Grozny for the thousands of civilians.
A similar incident involving refugees fleeing Grozny was reported in August 1996 during the First Chechen War
.
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
Chechen
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
capital Grozny
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
(geographical coordinates 43.316667°N 45.683333°W) were allegedly killed by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n policemen.
According to accounts from survivors, a refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
convoy consisting of about 50 people in seven or eight passenger car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s and one bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
marked with white flag
White flag
White flags have had different meanings throughout history and depending on the locale.-Flag of temporary truce in order to parley :...
s, was heading towards the border with the Russian republic of Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
, when they approached a federal roadblock
Roadblock
A roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be:*Roadworks*Temporary road closure during special events*Police chase*Robbery*Sobriety checkpoint...
near the village of Goity. One survivor described masked OMON
OMON
OMOH is a generic name for the system of special units of militsiya within the Russian and earlier the Soviet MVD...
troops opening fire with automatic rifle
Automatic rifle
Automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a semi-automatic rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge, capable of delivering both semi- and full automatic fire...
s from their position in the nearby forest without warning. The bus exploded as bullets pierced its gas tank. After the shooting, Russian soldiers gave first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
and painkillers to the handful of survivors and brought them to the hospital in Sleptsovskaya, Ingushetia, where they were interviewed by journalists.
The incident happened just a few miles from a major battle at the crossroads of Urus-Martan
Urus-Martan
Urus-Martan is a town and the administrative center of Urus-Martanovsky District of the Chechen Republic, Russia, located on the Martan River. The town is located in the central part of the republic, to the southwest of the capital Grozny. Population:...
, which sits astride a road that Chechen militants were using as a supply line. Another battle was under way not far from there, in the town of Alkhan-Kale. The Russian Ministry of Defence
Russian Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation exercises operational leadership of the armed forces of Russia.The Russian Minister of Defence is the nominal commander of all the armed forces, serving under the president of the Russian Federation, in whom executive authority over the military is...
stated that the media reports of this incident were disinformation
Disinformation
Disinformation is intentionally false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. For this reason, it is synonymous with and sometimes called black propaganda. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth...
. Officials were quoted as saying that 30 vehicles were destroyed on roads leading out of Grozny, but that all the cars contained rebels, not civilians. They also said that they had opened a safe passage out of Grozny for the thousands of civilians.
A similar incident involving refugees fleeing Grozny was reported in August 1996 during the First Chechen War
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
.
External links
- 'Russians fired on refugees' BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 4 December, 1999