On 14 June 1995, the small steppe town of Budyonnovsk in southern Russia (population: 60,000) became famous all over the world. But no one wants this sort of fame. At midday, the quiet provincial lives of its citizens were suddenly interrupted by the sounds of automatic gunfire and explosions.
Residents of the town were, of course, aware that there was a war raging just 300km away in Chechnya, where the Russian government was fighting irregular forces that had seized power in the former Soviet Autonomous Republic and were demanding independence. A helicopter unit was stationed just outside the town. Flights took off from there every day in support of the government’s military actions. And this situation had come back to haunt them. Chechen irregulars periodically attacked bordering areas in Stavropol krai, taking livestock and prisoners ransom. But they had never ventured so deep into the neighbouring region before.
First victims
The first victims of the attack were members of the police force who had pursued (and stopped) a column of three Kamaz lorries. The passengers and drivers, who were wearing Russian military uniforms, refused to be searched. Under instructions from the interior ministry, the police escorted the lorries to the regional branch of the interior ministry.
