Samashki
Encyclopedia
Samashki is a village (selo) on the western plains in Achkhoy-Martanovsky District of the Chechen Republic
, Russia
; since 1992 it is a border village with the Russian Republic of Ingushetia
. The pre-war population of Samashki counted about 14,600 people (about 12,000 in October 1999).
A railway line from Nazran
to Grozny
runs through Samashki. The Rostov
–Baku
Highway
, which connects Nazran, Grozny, and Gudermes
, lies four kilometers to the south of Samashki.
which resulted in the deaths of more than 100 to 300 civilians.
In March 1996 another attack on the town took the form of a full-scale assault with apparent disregard for the civilian lives; according to Human Rights Watch
, Russian forces used civilians as a human shield
s on APCs. Reports suggested some 500 civilians were killed altogether in the result of the April 1995 and March 1996 attacks. The next month, Russian journalist Nadezhda Chaikova
, who had filmed the effects of the 1996 attack, was killed execution-style in Chechnya.
A devastating artillery and rocket attack on Samashki took place in October 1999 at the beginning of the Second Chechen War
, despite the demilitarization of the village, killing or injuring dozens of residents on the day of October 27, 1999 alone, according to HRW. At the time, the deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District
announced that there were only "bandits and terrorists" in Samashki, but a report for the British parliament
claimed civilians were killed in revenge for the heavy casualties suffered there by Russian forces during the first war.
Federal forces reported a large-scale operation in Samashki in May 2000.
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
; since 1992 it is a border village with the Russian Republic of Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
. The pre-war population of Samashki counted about 14,600 people (about 12,000 in October 1999).
A railway line from Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
to Grozny
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
runs through Samashki. The Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
–Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
Highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
, which connects Nazran, Grozny, and Gudermes
Gudermes
Gudermes is a town in the Chechen Republic, Russia, located on the Sunzha River east of Grozny. Population: 32,000 .Gudermes had a rural locality status until 1941. Later, it became a railroad junction between Rostov-on-Don, Baku, Astrakhan, and Mozdok. Gudermes is home for oil extraction...
, lies four kilometers to the south of Samashki.
History
During both Chechen Wars the village suffered greatly from the hostilities, most notably in the notorious April 1995 incident known as Samashki massacreSamashki massacre
The Samashki massacre was an incident which occurred on April 7–8, 1995, in the village of Samashki, at the border between Chechnya and Ingushetia. Numerous villagers died at the hands of Russian paramilitary troops, many of them reportedly drunk or drugged, under the command of Gen. Anatoly Kulikov...
which resulted in the deaths of more than 100 to 300 civilians.
In March 1996 another attack on the town took the form of a full-scale assault with apparent disregard for the civilian lives; according to Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, Russian forces used civilians as a human shield
Human shield
Human shield is a military and political term describing the deliberate placement of civilians in or around combat targets to deter an enemy from attacking those targets. It may also refer to the use of civilians to literally shield combatants during attacks, by forcing the civilians to march in...
s on APCs. Reports suggested some 500 civilians were killed altogether in the result of the April 1995 and March 1996 attacks. The next month, Russian journalist Nadezhda Chaikova
Nadezhda Chaikova
Nadezhda Chaikova was a correspondent for the Russian weekly Obshchaya Gazeta. A college of Anna Politkovskaya, she had traveled frequently to Chechnya and neighbouring regions...
, who had filmed the effects of the 1996 attack, was killed execution-style in Chechnya.
A devastating artillery and rocket attack on Samashki took place in October 1999 at the beginning of the Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
, despite the demilitarization of the village, killing or injuring dozens of residents on the day of October 27, 1999 alone, according to HRW. At the time, the deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District
North Caucasus Military District
The North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Ground Forces, which became in 2010 the Southern Military District and lately also includes the Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla....
announced that there were only "bandits and terrorists" in Samashki, but a report for the British parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
claimed civilians were killed in revenge for the heavy casualties suffered there by Russian forces during the first war.
Federal forces reported a large-scale operation in Samashki in May 2000.