Grozny residents tell how they survived during city storming 25 years ago

The assault on Grozny, launched by Russian militaries on December 31, 1994, was remembered by the endless shooting and awareness of the outbreak of a real war, eyewitnesses of those events told the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that this year marks 25 years since the start of the first Chechen War.

On that day, it became clear to townspeople that a full-fledged war was going on, Aslanbek, a resident of Grozny, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

During the assault, "it seemed that the whole central Grozny was on fire," said Mikail, an eyewitness of those events. "Shells and bullets flew in all directions; there was an incredible roar; and this lasted until the morning. Throughout the city, there was a smell of burning; there were burned tanks and cars; soldiers' dead bodies were lying around. Those were terrible days," Mikail told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Besides, townspeople did not know where the militaries were and where the militants were, said Vakha, a local resident. "One could be shot from both sides, because the confusion was complete. There could be militants in one street and federals – in the other. And the population occurred in between two fires," Vakha told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to his story, for Grozny residents, acutest problems were the deficit of water and absence of heating. "Central heating and water supply were inoperative. Families installed potbelly stoves in one of the rooms; and the whole family gathered there. True, there were also huge problems with firewood. All that could be used instead was burned down – tree branches, old furniture, and wooden barriers and fences that people gathered around the nearby private houses. Water was the hardest problem," said Vakha.

Grozny townspeople had to eat mainly their stocked foodstuffs, as shops and marketplaces were closed, said Khadishat, a local resident. "Cakes were baked in the street, in makeshift ovens; neighbours shared everything with each other; and people survived in this way," said Khadishat.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 31, 2019 at 01:37 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.