A filmed execution of six Russian conscripts by Chechen and Dagestani militants during the 1999 War in Dagestan drew international attention to atrocities of the conflict.
Key Facts
- Date
- September 1999
- Victims
- Six Russian servicemen executed
- Youngest victims' age
- 19 years old years
- Victim status
- Conscripts (prisoners of war)
- Perpetrators
- Chechen and Dagestani militants
- Conflict
- War in Dagestan
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the War in Dagestan in 1999, fighting between Russian federal forces and Chechen and Dagestani militants resulted in the capture of Russian soldiers. Russian troops reported finding multiple taped executions of officers and enlisted men throughout the course of the battle.
In September 1999, Chechen and Dagestani militants filmed the execution of six Russian servicemen, five of whom were conscripts as young as 19 years old. The killings were carried out by piercing the trachea, a method tantamount to beheading, and the incident became known as the Tukhchar massacre.
The footage was copied and distributed on tape, with some recordings later sold as snuff films and subsequently posted online. The dissemination of the video brought widespread attention to war crimes committed during the conflict in Dagestan and contributed to the broader documentation of atrocities in the Chechen wars.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent