Publication

This publication discusses the process of reform undertaken by units of the Russian armed forces in the North Caucasus Military District (MD) in the five-year period between the two Chechen wars. The author argues Russia has learned much from the first conflict and its operational strategy more right than wrong during the second military campaign. He concludes that Russian command-staff exercises held in the North Caucasus MD in July 1998 raised mutual hostility and suspicion and destroyed diplomatic efforts to seek a non-military solution.