Grozny

The fortress of Groznaya (Гро́зная; lit. fearsome) (a feminine form of Grozny, as the word fortress (крепость) is feminine in Russian) was founded in 1818[3] as a Russian military outpost on the Sunzha River by general Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov. As the fort was being built the workers were fired upon by the Chechens. The Russians solved the problem by placing a cannon at a carefully chosen point outside the walls. When night fell and the Chechens came out of their hiding places to drag the gun away all the other guns opened up with grapeshot. When the Chechens recovered their senses and began to carry away the bodies the guns fired again. When it was over, 200 dead were counted. Thus did the 'fearsome' fort receive its baptism of fire.[20] It was a prominent defense center during the Caucasian War. Russian poets Alexander Griboedov, Alexander Polezhayev, Mikhail Lermontov, the classic of Russian literature Leo Tolstoy, the Decembrist and writer Alexander Bestuzhev and other famous figures of Russian culture visited the fortress. After the annexation of the region by the Russian Empire, the military use of the old fortress was obsolete and on 11 January [O.S. 30 December 1869] 1870) it was granted town status and renamed Grozny[21] (as the word town (город) is masculine in Russian). As most of the residents there were Terek Cossacks, the town grew slowly until the development of oil reserves in the early 20th century. The founder of the Nobel prize Alfred Nobel took part in the development of the oil industry of the city of Grozny, as well as members of the Rothschild family. In addition to the Nobels and Rothschilds, British companies played an important role in the oil industry from 1893 onward. Alfred Stuart, an English engineer, completed the first well in Grozny by drilling in 1893 the largest oil field in the Caucasus region (outside the Baku district).[22] Eleven firms drilled 116 wells before 1900. This encouraged the rapid development of industry and petrochemical production. In addition to the oil drilled in the city itself, the city became a geographical center of Russia's network of oil fields, and in 1893 became part of the Transcaucasia — Russia Proper railway. The result was the population almost doubled from 15,600 in 1897 to 30,400 in 1913.[21] In early 1914, the largest oil company Royal Dutch Shell was established in the city thus making Grozny one of the largest industrial centers of the Caucasus.[23]

One day after the October Revolution, on November 8, 1917, the Bolsheviks headed by N. Anisimov seized Grozny. As the Russian Civil War escalated, the Proletariat formed the 12th Red Army, and the garrison held out against numerous attacks by Terek Cossacks from August 11 to November 12, 1918. However, with the arrival of Denikin's armies, the Bolsheviks were forced to withdraw and Grozny was captured on February 4, 1919, by the White Army. Underground operations were carried out, but only the arrival of the Caucasus front of the Red Army in 1920 allowed the city to permanently end up with the Russian SFSR on March 17. Simultaneously it became part of the Soviet Mountain Republic, which was formed on January 20, 1921, and was the capital of the Chechen National Okrug inside it.

Entrance sign, built in Soviet-times

On November 30, 1922, the mountain republic was dissolved, and the national okrug became the Chechen Autonomous Oblast (Chechen AO) with Grozny as the administrative center. At this time most of the population was still Russian, but of Cossack descent. As Cossacks were viewed as a potential threat to the Soviet nation, Moscow actively encouraged the migration of Chechens into the city from the mountains. In 1934 the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Oblast was formed, becoming the Chechen-Ingush ASSR in 1936.

Due to its oil, Grozny with Maikop were the main strategic objectives of the German Fall Blau operation in summer of 1942. See Battle of the Caucasus. The failure to take Grozny was a major defeat for Germany and was a factor in holding fast at Battle of Stalingrad, as that city could have served as a base from which to take Grozny or cut off oil supplies up the Volga River from Astrakhan. The failure to prioritize Grozny, even transferring critical Panzer divisions north to the Siege of Leningrad, was a major factor in Adolf Hitler taking operational level control of the Wehrmacht from his generals who had repeatedly prioritized the two major cities over the oil supplies - against Hitler's express orders. Soviet doctrine however never failed to prioritize the food of the Ukraine nor the oil of the Caucasus, which resulted in drastic action after Germany's expulsion/retreat in 1943.

In 1944, the entire population of Chechens and Ingush was deported after rebelling against Soviet rule. Large numbers of people who were not deemed fit for transport were 'liquidated' on the spot,[24] and the adverse situation with transport and the stay in Siberia caused many deaths as well.[25][26] According to internal NKVD data, a total of 144,704 died in 1944–1948 alone (death rate of 23.5% per all groups).[27] Authors such as Alexander Nekrich, John Dunlop and Moshe Gammer, based on census data from the period estimate a death toll of about 170,000–200,000 among Chechens alone,[28][29][30][31] thus ranging from over a third of the total Chechen population that was deported to nearly half dying during those 4 years (rates for other groups for those four years hover around 20%). All traces of them in the city, including books[32] and graveyards,[33] were destroyed by the NKVD troops. The act was recognized by the European Parliament as an act of genocide in 2004.[34]

Grozny became the administrative center of Grozny Oblast of the Russian SFSR, and the city at the time was again wholly Russian. In 1957, the Chechen-Ingush ASSR was restored, and the Chechens were allowed to return. The return of the Chechens to Grozny, which had been lacking of Nakh for thirteen years, would cause massive disruptions to the social, economic and political systems of what had been a Russian city for the period until their return. This caused a self-feeding cycle of ethnic conflict between the two groups, both believing the other's presence in the city was illegitimate. Once again migration of non-Russians into Grozny continued whilst the ethnic Russian population, in turn, moved to other parts of the USSR, notably the Baltic states, after the inter-ethnic conflict broke briefly out in 1958.

Soviet-era postage stamp with a view of Grozny's Avgustovskaya Street

According to sociologist Georgy Derluguyan, the Checheno-Ingush Republic's economy was divided into two spheres—much like French settler-ruled Algeria—and the Russian sphere had all the jobs with higher salaries,[35] while non-Russians were systematically kept out of all government positions. Russians (as well as Ukrainians and Armenians) worked in education, health, oil, machinery, and social services. Non-Russians (excluding Ukrainians and Armenians) worked in agriculture, construction, a long host of undesirable jobs, as well as the so-called "informal sector" (i.e., illegal, due to the mass discrimination in the legal sector).[35]

At the same time a great deal of development occurred in the city. Like many other Soviet cities, the Stalinist style of architecture was prevalent during this period, with apartments in the centre as well as administrative buildings including the massive Council of Ministers and the Grozny University buildings being constructed in Grozny. Later projects included the high-rise apartment blocks prominent in many Soviet cities, as well as a city airport. In 1989, the population of the city was almost 400,000 people.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Grozny became the seat of a separatist government led by Dzhokhar Dudayev. According to some, many of the remaining Russian and other non-Chechen residents fled or were expelled by groups of militants, adding to a harassment and discrimination from the new authorities.[36] These events are perceived by some as an act of an ethnic cleansing of non-Chechens, which has been reflected in the materials of General Prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation.[37][38]

This view is disputed by authors, such as Russian economists Boris Lvin and Andrei Illarionov, who argue that Russian emigration from the area was no more intense than in other regions of Russia at the time.[39] According to this view of the ethnic situation in Ichkeria, the primary cause of Russian emigration was the extensive bombing of Grozny (where 4 out of 5, or nearly 200,000 Russians in Chechnya lived before the war) by the Russian military during the First Chechen War.[40]

The covert Russian attempts of overthrowing Dudayev by means of armed Chechen opposition forces resulted in repeated failed assaults on the city. Originally, Moscow had been backing the political opposition of Umar Avturkhanov "peacefully" (i.e. without supplying the opposition with weapons and encouraging them to try a coup). However, this changed in 1994, after the coups in neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan (both of which Moscow was involved with), and Russia encouraged armed opposition and occasionally assisted. In August 1994 Avturkhanov attacked Grozny, but was repelled first by Chechen citizens who were then joined by Grozny government troops and Russian helicopters covered his retreat.[41] On September 28, one of these interfering helicopters was shot down and its Russian pilot was held as a prisoner-of-war by the Chechen government.[42] The last one on 26 November 1994 ended with capture of 21 Russian Army tank crew members,[43] secretly hired as mercenaries by the FSK (former KGB, soon renamed FSB); their capture was sometimes cited as one of the reasons of Boris Yeltsin's decision to launch the open intervention. In the meantime, Grozny airport and other targets were bombed by unmarked Russian aircraft.

A street in Grozny after the First Chechen War

During the First Chechen War, Grozny was the site of an intense battle lasting from December 1994 to February 1995 and ultimately ending with the capture of the city by the Russian military. Intense fighting and carpet bombing carried out by the Russian Air Force destroyed much of the city. Thousands of combatants on both sides died in the fighting, alongside civilians, many of which were reportedly ethnic Russians; unclaimed bodies were later collected and buried in mass graves on the city outskirts. The main federal military base in Chechnya was located in the area of Grozny air base.

Chechen guerrilla units operating from nearby mountains managed to harass and demoralize the Russian Army by means of guerilla tactics and raids, such as the attack on Grozny in March 1996, which added to political and public pressure for a withdrawal of Russian troops. In August 1996, a raiding force of 1,500 to 3,000 militants recaptured the city in a surprise attack. They surrounded and routed its entire garrison of 10,000 MVD troops, while fighting off the Russian Army units from the Khankala base. The battle ended with a final ceasefire and Grozny was once again in the hands of Chechen separatists. The name was changed to Djohar in 1997 by the President of the separatist Ichkeria republic, Aslan Maskhadov. By this time most of the remaining Russian minority fled.

Damaged apartment buildings in 2006

Grozny was once again the epicenter of fighting after the outbreak of the Second Chechen War, which further caused thousands of fatalities. During the early phase of the Russian siege on Grozny on October 25, 1999, Russian forces launched five SS-21 ballistic missiles at the crowded central bazaar and a maternity ward, killing more than 140 people and injuring hundreds. During the massive shelling of the city that followed, most of the Russian artillery were directed toward the upper floors of the buildings; although this caused massive destruction of infrastructure, civilian casualties were much less than in the first battles.

The final seizure of the city was set in early February 2000, when the Russian military lured the besieged militants to a promised safe passage. Seeing no build-up of forces outside, the militants agreed. One day prior to the planned evacuation, the Russian Army mined the path between the city and the village of Alkhan-Kala and concentrated most firepower on that point. As a result, both the city mayor and military commander were killed; a number of other prominent separatist leaders were also killed or wounded, including Shamil Basayev and several hundred rank-and-file militants. Afterwards, the Russians slowly entered the empty city and on February 6 raised the Russian flag in the centre. Many buildings and even whole areas of the city were systematically dynamited. A month later, it was declared safe to allow the residents to return to their homes, although demolition continued for some time. In 2003 the United Nations called Grozny the most destroyed city on earth.[44]

Grozny-City Towers

Panoramic view of Grozny from Grozny City Towers

Grozny in 2018

The federal government representatives of Chechnya are based in Grozny. Since 2003, the city has been rebuilt from scratch, and hardly any destroyed buildings now remain there.[45] Out of several dozens of industrial enterprises, three have been partially rebuilt — the Grozny Machine-Building Factory, the Krasny Molot (Red Hammer) and Transmash factories.

Although most of the city's infrastructure was destroyed during the war, the city's sewage, water, electricity and heating systems have since been repaired, along with 250 kilometers (160 mi) of roads, 13 bridges and some 900 shops.[46] Before the war, Grozny had about 79,000 apartments, and the city authorities expected to be able to restore about 45,000 apartments; the rest were in buildings that were completely destroyed.[47]

Railway connection was restored in 2005, and Grozny's airport was reopened in 2007 with three weekly flights to Moscow. In 2009 the IAC gave Grozny's Severny airport the international certificate after checking and evaluating the airport's airworthiness. On November 16, 2009, the airport had its first international flight, taking pilgrims on Hajj to Saudi Arabia via a Boeing 747.[48]

After four years of construction, the Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque was formally opened to the public on October 16, 2008, and is considered one of the largest mosques in Europe.[46] In 2009, the city of Grozny was honored by the UN Human Settlements Program for transforming the war-scarred city and providing new homes for thousands.[49]

In 2013, the Akhmat Tower was proposed. Its renders were released to the public, the design was based on traditional military towers, but many disliked the design.

In 2015, the tower was redesigned, it is estimated to be completed in 2020. Construction started in 2016.

For administrative purposes, the city is divided into four city districts: Akhmatovsky, Baysangurovsky, Visaitovsky, Sheikh-Mansurovsky.

Grozny Railway station

The first train pulled into the Grozny Railway station on May 1, 1893.

On November 5, 1932, the Grozny Tram system was opened to the public, and by 1990 it was 85-kilometer (53 mi) long, with 107 new Russian-built KTM-5 trams that it received in the late 1980s, and two depots. The Grozny Trolleybus system began operation on December 31, 1975, and by 1990 was approximately 60-kilometer (37 mi) long with 58 buses and one depot. Both versions of transport came under difficult pressure in the early 1990s, with frequent theft of equipment, staff not being properly paid and resultant strikes. A major planned Trolleybus extension route to the airport was cancelled. With the outbreak of the First Chechen War both transport services stopped operation. During the destructive battles, the tram tracks were blocked or damaged, and cars and buses were turned into barricades. The trolleybus system was luckier, as most of its equipment, including the depot, survived the war. In 1996 it was visited by specialists from the Vologda Trolleybus Company, who repaired some of the lines, with services planned to be restarted in 1997. However, after they returned, most of the equipment was stolen. The surviving buses were transported to Volzhsky where they were repaired and used in the new trolleybus system there.

After the Second Chechen War, little of the infrastructure of both systems was left. The Ministry of Transport of the Chechen Republic, created in 2002, decided not to rebuild the tram system (rated as too expensive, and no longer answering to the city's needs, as it had since lost half of its population). The trolleybus system however was more fortunate, and despite delays, reopened in 2012, but is a fraction of its former operational size.

Grozny Airport

The city is served by Grozny Airport.

In 2018 the Delimobil car sharing company officially provided the capital of the Chechen Republic with 30 Hyundai Solaris. To drive the automobiles, the user has to book them through the app of the owning company.[50]

In the same year the Delisamokat provided the city with 120 electric scooters and some scooter stations.

Grozny has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation peaks during early summer, where sunshine hours also peak.

• Совет депутатов города Грозного. Решение №02 от 27 марта 2013 г. «Устав муниципального образования "городской округ "город Грозный"», в ред. Решения №54 от 26 сентября 2013 г. (Council of Deputies of the City of Grozny. Decision #02 of March 27, 2013 Charter of the Municipal Formation of the "Urban Okrug of "the City of Grozny", as amended by the Decision #54 of September 26, 2013. ).
• Президент Чеченской Республики. Указ №500 от 30 ноября 2005 г. «Об утверждении перечня субъектов административно-территориального устройства Чеченской Республики». Вступил в силу 30 ноября 2005 г.. Опубликован: База данных "Консультант-плюс". (President of the Chechen Republic. Decree #500 of November 30, 2005 On Adopting the List of the Entities Within the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Chechen Republic. Effective as of November 30, 2005.).
• Референдум. 23 марта 2003 г. «Конституция Чеченской Республики», в ред. Конституционного закона №1-РКЗ от 30 сентября 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в Конституцию Чеченской Республики». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования по результатам голосования на референдуме Чеченской Республики. (Referendum. March 23, 2003 Constitution of the Chechen Republic, as amended by the Constitutional Law #1-RKZ of September 30, 2014 On Amending the Constitution of the Chechen Republic. Effective as of the day of the official publication in accordance with the results of the referendum of the Chechen Republic.).
• Парламент Чеченской Республики. Закон №44-РЗ от 14 июля 2008 г. «Об образовании муниципального образования город Грозный, установлении его границы и наделении его статусом городского округа», в ред. Закона №21-РЗ от 28 июня 2010 г «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Чеченской Республики». Вступил в силу по истечении 10 дней после официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вести Республики", №162 (844), 26 августа 2008 г. (Parliament of the Chechen Republic. Law #44-RZ of July 14, 2008 On Establishing the Municipal Formation of the City of Grozny, on Establishing Its Border, and on Granting It the Status of an Urban Okrug, as amended by the Law #21-RZ of June 28, 2010 On Amending Several Legislative Acts of the Chechen Republic. Effective as of after 10 days from the official publication date have passed.).
• Парламент Чеченской Республики. Закон №12-РЗ от 20 февраля 2009 г. «Об образовании муниципального образования Грозненский район и муниципальных образований, входящих в его состав, установлении их границ и наделении их соответствующим статусом муниципального района и сельского поселения», в ред. Закона №21-РЗ от 28 июня 2010 г «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Чеченской Республики». Вступил в силу по истечении 10 дней после официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вести Республики", №33 (965), 25 февраля 2009 г. (Parliament of the Chechen Republic. Law #12-RZ of February 20, 2009 On Establishing the Municipal Formation of Groznensky District and the Municipal Formations Comprising It, on Establishing Their Borders, and on Granting Them the Status of a Municipal District and Rural Settlement, as amended by the Law #21-RZ of June 28, 2010 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Chechen Republic. Effective as of after 10 days from the official publication date have passed.).
• Olga Oliker, Russia's Chechen Wars 1994–2000: Lessons from Urban Combat. (Santa Monica CA: RAND Arroyo Center, 2001)