UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State C' ni G_ nno_n n n ni r nQ n o aar n 5 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED E13 PTQ4657 RELEASED IN PART 136 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PTQ4657 PAGE 01 MOSCOW 14317 01 OF 03 281648Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 DODE-00 INR-00 MOF-03 PA-01 TRSE-00 DSCC-00 AID-00 DOEE-00 I0-10 M-00 PM-00 T-00 PRNE-01 BIB-01 DS-00 LAB-01 NRRC-00 PRS-01 USIE-00 DRL-09 SMEC-00 FBIE-00 MCO-01 NSCE-00 SCT-00 SNIS-00 044W CIAE-00 OIGO-01 L-01 NSAE-00 P-01 SA-01 G-00 ------------------C06B57 INL-02 H-01 ADS-00 OIC-02 SP-00 NISC-01 OASY-00 TEDE-00 MOFM-04 OMB-01 SS-00 PMB-00 2816502 38 P 2816322 APR 95 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0027 INFO AMEMBASSY VILNIUS AMEMBASSY RIGA AMEMBASSY TALLINN MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE USMISSION GENEVA LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 014317 GENEVA FOR KELLY CLEMENTS E O 12356 DELL N A PREL PGOV RS TAGS RUSSIAN FORCES ATTACK ON SAMASHKI SUBJECT DIFFERING VIEWS ON ATROCITIES LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 MOSCOW 14317 01 OF 03 2816482 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY THEODORE SELLIN DATE CASE ID 22 OCT 2009 200901541 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 SUMMARY t36 1 F__ BELIEVES REPORTS SUGGESTING THAT A PREMEDITATED MASSACRE BY DRUNKEN AND DRUGGED FEDERAL TROOPS TOOK PLACE IN SAMASHKI CHECHNYA APRIL 7-9 ARE WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT ATROCITIES TOOK INACCURATE PLACE HE ACCUSES THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS ICRC OF UNBALANCED STATEMENTS AND OF TAKING SIDES WITHOUT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE FACTS WAS IN THE SAMASHKI REGION ON APRIL 10 AND OVERFLEW THE TOWN BY HELICOPTER THE SAME ACCOUNT NOTWITHSTANDING SEVERAL DAY RUSSIAN AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS INGUSHETIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE REPORTED MANY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF ATROCITIES BY UNDISCIPLINED FEDERAL TROOPS PERHAPS ONLY A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION CAN UNCOVER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN SAMASHKI _ 136 B6 END SUMMARY DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED ----------------------------------SAMASHKI ONE CORRESPONDENT'S VIEW 66 TOLD POLOFF ON APRIL 21 THAT HE STRONGLY BELIEVES REPORTING BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORANIoZATIONS AND MOST JOURNALISTS ON THE BATTLE IN SAMASHKI APRIL 7-9 HAS BEEN INACCURATE 66 WAS PARTICULARLY CRITICAL OF ICRC ACCUSATIONS THAT DISPROPORTIONATE AND INDISCRIMINATE HE SUGGESTED THAT FORCE WAS USED BY FEDERAL TROOPS THE ICRC HAS LOST ITS NEUTRAL STATUS AND BECOME A PARTY IN THE CHECHEN PROPAGANDA FRAY REPORTS SUGGESTING THAT THE RUSSIAN MILITARY SENT 3 DRUNK AND DRUGGED SOLDIERS INTO THE VILLAGE TO KILL NONCOMBATANTS INDISCIMINATELY IN ORDER TO PSYCHOLOGICALLY DEFEAT THE CHECHEN PEOPLE ARE DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 THERE ASSERTED TO POLOFF ENTIRELY FALSE WAS NO SUCH RUSSIAN POLICY HE NOTED AND CITED THE FOLLOWING AS EVIDENCE tSb --THE SYRINGES FOUND IN THE STREETS OF SAMASHKI PRESENTED BY SOME AS EVIDENCE THAT RUSSIAN TROOPS AND WERE DRUGGED DURING BATTLE ACTUALLY CONTAINED MORPHINE CARRIED BY ALL MVD TROOPS IN FIRST AID KITS AND USED BY WOUNDED TO PREVENT PAIN SHOCK B6 OBSERVED THAT ONLY INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED OR BURNED DOWN AND THAT MANY PARTS OF THE TOWN REMAINED INTACT --TWO ARMY TANKS ASSISTED THE MVD ASSAULT ON THE TOWN BUT OTHERWISE FEDERAL TROOPS DID NOT USE HEAVY HEAVY WEAPONS IN FACT ACCORDING TO ARTILLERY WAS SITTING UNUSED OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS DURING THE ATTACK AND GROUND ATTACK AIRCRAFT WERE NOT USED IN THE OPERATION LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 136 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 MOSCOW 14317 01 OF 03 2816482 --FEDERAL FORCES SUFFERED FAIRLY SERIOUS CASUALTIES--AT LEAST TWELVE DEAD AND FORTY SERIOUSLY INJURED--INDICATING THAT THE RUSSIANS FACED SERIOUS OPPOSITION FROM DUDAYEV'S FORCES --SAMASHKI IS A KEY RAIL AND ROAD LINK IN THE REGION THAT THE FEDERAL FORCES NEEDED TO TAKE IN ORDER TO REGAIN CONTROL OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC EXTENT OF ATROCITIES IWAS QUICK TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT 4 1 INDIVIDUAL FEDERAL TROOPS DID COMMIT CERTAIN ACCORDING TO HIS OBSERVATIONS AND ATROCITIES CONVERSATIONS WITH RUSSIAN OFFICERS MVD COMMANDERS APPEAR TO HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE OMON SPECIAL FORCES B6 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 TROOPS IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE THESE UNITS--FROM MOSCOW STAVROPOL AND KRASNODAR--CONDUCTED UNAUTHORIZED ATTACKS ON INNOCENT CIVILIANS DURING THE SAMASHKI FIGHTING THE GENER DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNNPTQ4660 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PTQ4660 PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 DODE-00 INR-00 MOF-03 PA-01 TRSE-00 DSCC-00 MOSCOW 14317 02 OF 03 2816482 AID-00 BIB-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 INL-02 DOEE-00 DS-00 OIGO-01 FBIE-00 H-01 I0-10 LAB-01 L-01 MCO-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-00 SP-00 T-00 USIE-00 SA-01 SNIS-00 NISC-01 PRNE-01 DRL-09 G-00 044W ------------------C06B5A 28165OZ 38 P 2816322 APR 95 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0028 INFO AMEMBASSY VILNIUS AMEMBASSY RIGA AMEMBASSY TALLINN MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE USMISSION GENEVA OASY-00 TEDE-00 MOFM-04 OMB-01 SS-00 PM13-00 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 03 MOSCOW 014317 GENEVA FOR KELLY CLEMENTS DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED E O 12356 DECL N A TAGS PREL PGOV RS SUBJECT RUSSIAN FORCES ATTACK ON SAMASHKI DIFFERING VIEWS ON ATROCITIES LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 MOSCOW 14317 02 OF 03 281648Z ALS I TALKED TO WERE EMBARRASSED BY WHAT THESE TROOPS HAD DONE B6 5 IN ADDITION THE CHECHEN PRISONERS WERE CLEARLY BEING MISTREATED IN THE DETENTION CENTERS BY THE FEDERAL FORCES SAID HE SAW SOME OF THEM MANY HAD BRUISED FACES AND WERE HUNCHED OVER I WAS TOLD THAT MANY HAD BROKEN RIBS AND THEY CERTAINLY LOOKED TO BE IN BAD CONDITION ACCORDING TO THE GENERALS AGAIN EXPRESSED THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO EXCHANGE BATTERED PRISONERS FOR THOSE HELD BY DUDAYEV'S FORCES IN FACT SAID PRISONERS TO BE EXCHANGED WERE BEING ORDERED OUT OF THE DETENTION CENTER IN MOZDOK AND SENT TO LESS BRUTAL FACILITIES FOR A WEEK'S TIME SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE A NORMAL PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AT THE TIME OF THE EXCHANGE B6 B6 B6 OTHER VIEWS ON SAMASHKI ----------------------- B6 6 TOLD EMBOFFS IN NAZRAN ON APRIL 24 THAT HIS OWN INVESTIGATION SUGGESTED THAT RUSSIAN TROOPS CARRIED OUT ATROCITIES OF AN UNUSUALLY SADISTIC NATURE ACCORDING TO HIS INFORMATION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE HOUSES HAD BEEN BURNED DOWN IN DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 SAMASHKI WITH MANY HUMAN CORPSES BURNED BEYOND LIMITED OFFICIAL USE DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 MOSCOW 14317 02 OF 03 281648Z RECOGNITION ATTRIBUTED THE BRUTALITY TO SEVERE LACK OF DISCIPLINE AMONG THE TROOPS PARTICULARLY THE OMON SPECIAL FORCES UNITS B6 THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DEBATE IN 7 THE MOSCOW PRESS ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN SAMASHKI IN A SPEECH TO THE RUSSIAN STATE DUMA LAST WEEK DUMA DEPUTY STANISLAV GOVORUKHIN CHAIRMAN OF A SPECIAL PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE THE CHECHEN CRISIS STRONGLY DEFENDED THE MILITARY'S ACTIONS IN SAMASHKI BASING HIS REMARKS ON A RECENT VISIT TO THE REGION HE ACCUSED HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS OF FALSIFYING THE EVIDENCE FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES HIS REPORT WAS FAR DIFFERENT IN TONE FROM THAT OF DUMA DEPUTY ANATOLIY SHABAD WHO VISITED SAMASHKI ON APRIL 12 AND REPORTED THAT RUSSIAN TROOPS HAD CARRIED OUT A MASSACRE A GROUP OF FEDERATION COUNCIL DEPUTIES WHO VISITED SAMASHKI TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE ON APRIL 25 THAT UNJUSTIFIED AND CRUEL ACTIONS AGAINST CIVILIANS TOOK PLACE IN SAMASHKI AND THAT EVIDENCE WOULD BE PASSED TO THE PROCURATOR GENERAL'S OFFICE 8 EMBASSY CONTACTS IN RUSSIAN AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE SOLDIERS' MOTHERS OF RUSSIA COMMITTEE AND THE QUAKER PEACE AND SERVICE COMMITTEE CONTINUE TO ASSERT THAT THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE A PREMEDITATED MASSACRE TOOK PLACE REFUGEES FROM SAMASHKI HAVE REPORTED TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS MANY STORIES OF INDISCRIMINATE KILLING OF CIVILIANS AND BURNING OF PRIVATE HOMES LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208_ Date 11 21 2016 PAGE 04 MOSCOW 14317 02 OF 03 281648Z DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED GAUGING MILITARY ATTITUDES -------------------------9 ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF THE TROOPS IN CHECHNYA AND BEYOND SSERTED THAT THE MILITARY IS BECOMING DANGEROUSLY CYNICAL OF CIVILIAN AUTHORITY AND SPECULATED THAT GENERALS ARE CLOSE TO THE POINT AT WHICH THEY MIGHT REFUSE TO CARRY OUT ORDERS IF THEY DO NOT BELIEVE SUCH ORDERS ARE IN THE MILITARY'S INTEREST HE NOTED IN PARTICULAR THAT HE FELT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESENTMENT AMONG FEDERAL OFFICERS IN CHECHNYA THAT PRESIDENT YELTSIN DID NOT VISIT THE TROOPS DURING HIS RECENT TRIP TO THE NORTH CAUCASUS INSTEAD THE TROOPS' PERCEPTION WAS THAT HE SPENT ALL OF HIS TIME VACATIONING AND SIGHTSEEING EVEN TAKING A PLEASURE FLIGHT OVER MOUNT ELBRUS THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE CAUCASUS RANGE THIS WAS A SERIOUS MISTAKE ON YELTSIN'S PART COMMENTED THE GENERALS AND THEIR TROOPS ARE LIKELY TO REMEMBER THIS PERCEIVED SNUB FOR SOME TIME B6 B6 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNNPTQ6132 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PTQ6132 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-01 INFO MOSCOW 14317 03 OF 03 2816482 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED LOG-00 DODE-00 INR-00 MOP-03 PA-01 TRSE-00 DSCC-00 AID-00 BIB-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 INL-02 DOEE-00 DS-00 OIGO-01 FBIE-00 H-01 I0-10 LAB-01 L-01 MCO-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-00 SP-00 T-00 USIE-00 SA-01 SNIS-00 NISC-01 PRME-01 DRL-09 G-00 044W ------------------C08E5A 282335Z 22 P 2816322 APR 95 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0029 INFO AMEMBASSY VILNIUS AMEMBASSY RIGA AMEMBASSY TALLINN MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE USMISSION GENEVA OASY-00 TEDE-00 MOFM-04 OMB-01 SS-00 PMB-00 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 03 OF 03 MOSCOW 014317 GENEVA FOR KELLY CLEMENTS E O 12356 DECL N A TAGS PREL PGOV RS SUBJECT RUSSIAN FORCES ATTACK ON SAMASHKI DIFFERING VIEWS ON ATROCITIES LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 MOSCOW 14317 03 OF 03 2816482 10 1 JALSO SUGGESTED THAT GEN ALEKSANDR LEBED CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE WIDELY POPULAR IN THE MILITARY IS NOW CONSIDERED BY MANY OFFICERS TO BE OUT OF FAVOR LEBED'S INITIAL OPPOSITION TO THE CHECHEN OPERATION WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED BY THOSE CARRYING OUT THE ORDERS AND ACCORDING TO THIS HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN HE NOTED-AS EVIDENCE OF THIS TREND A POLL OF RUSSIAN SERVICEMEN PUBLISHED IN IZVESTIYA ON B6 136 DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11121 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 APRIL 21 THAT SHOWED LEBED HAVING RECEIVED A RELATIVELY LOW RATING ON LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM -ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF DEFENSE MINISTER GRACHEV AND FAR BELOW THE RATINGS OF GENERAL STAFF CHIEF KOLESNIKOV AND BORDER GUARDS CHIEF NIKOLAYEV DECONTROLLED UN CLASSIFIED COMMENT 11 1 JIS GENERALLY CONSIDERED AN OBJECTIVE OBSERVER WHO ACCURATELY REPORTS WHAT HE SEES AND HEARS HOWEVER HE CLEARLY SYMPATHIZES WITH THE DIFFICULTIES FACED BY THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND A TENDENCY WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY AFFECTS HIS VIEWS IN THIS CASE THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE AMONG THE FEDERAL FORCES HAS BEEN A SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CHECHEN OPERATION AND OTHERS HAVE CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF THE SAMASHKI EVENTS PERHAPS ONLY IN THIS WAY WILL THE TRUE EXTENT OF AND MOTIVATIONS FOR THE SAMASHKI ATROCITIES BE REVEALED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 66 136 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 MOSCOW 14317 03 OF 03 2816482 12 FOR USMISSION GENEVA POST HAS NO INFORMATION THUS FAR ON GEN YEGOROV EXCEPT THAT HE IS MVD INTERNAL TROOPS NOT ARMY PICKERING DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No 017551208 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Depar f c ' - n l C _' nn0_0 1tZn1 n Kl- 1l7554'3nSt DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED Date 11 21 2016 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN DECONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551208 Date 11 21 2016 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu