Putin: The dark rise to power (the full text of article of GQ magazine banned in Russia)

Ten years ago this month, Russia was rocked by a series of mysterious apartment bombings that left hundreds dead. It was by riding the ensuing wave of fear and terror that a then largely unknown Vladimir Putin rose to become the most powerful man in the country. But there were questions about the nature of those bombings - and disturbing evidence that the perpetrators might actually have been working for the Russian government. In the years since then, the people who had been questioning the official version of events began one by one to go silent or even turn up dead. Except one man. Scott Anderson finds him.

The first building to be hit was the barracks in Buynaksk housing Russian soldiers and their families. It was a nondescript five-story building perched on the outskirts of town, and when the enormous truck bomb went off late on the night of September 4, 01999, the floors pancaked onto each other until the building was reduced to a pile of burning rubble. In that rubble were the bodies of sixty-four people - men, women, and children.

In the predawn hours of last September 13, I left my hotel in central Moscow and made for a working-class neighborhood on the city's southern outskirts.

Andrei Ilarionov – Russia Prepared War with Georgia and It Was Started by Russia

Former advisor of Vladimir Putin in economic issues Andrei Ilarionov has opposed his former chief for two years already and openly criticizes the Kremlin policy. Ilarionov showed his protest at the very beginning of Russian aggression perpetrated on Georgia. He introduced his opinions about Georgian-Russian war reasons to Katon Institute Summer School listeners in Ukraine on September 4. His viewpoints appeared to be interesting and we decided to present brief variant of his opinions expressed in summer school.

A.I.: The most important thing is to find out the reason of starting war in Georgia. This was larger scale war, where all kinds of sub divisions took their part. In spite of the ceasefire agreement, war continues on Georgian territories.
If the Kremlin aimed at protecting the people who wanted existence independently, it had to recognize Chechnya. Chechen people have been fighting for independent for 10 years and it has not stopped fight for independence for 200 years. Moscow used tanks, hails, aviation, artillery and chemical weapon against Chechnya. Chechen warriors were killed exactly by chemical weapons.
Comparison of amount of damage in Chechnya and Tskhinvali is impossible. 134 people died in war activities in South Ossetia. 80% of them were fighters, the rest were peaceful civilians. It is obvious that death of each person is tragedy, but we can not compare these numbers to those dead in Chechnya. 200 thousand people died in Chechnya from both sides.
Russian government has not recognized independence of Chechnya and Kosovo. It has not recognized them even after Abkhazian and South Ossetian recognition. It is obvious that Russian government has double standard policy.
When Russia states that it acted in South Ossetia to protect its citizens is at least unbelievable. 90% of South Ossetian population is Russian citizens, but about 48 thousand Ossetian nationalities and 20 thousand Georgians lived in South Ossetia. Up to 10 thousand of Ossetian citizens supported Georgian oriented Ossetian administration, headed by Dmitri Sanakoev. Sanakoev was one of the leaders of separatist movement in 90-ies opposing Kokoity. He created administration where there were Ossetian and Georgian villages.
Russia has to take more interest in Russian citizens living in Turkmenistan, whose rights has been violated since period of Turkmen bash’s government.
Announcements made by Russian government about its actions aiming to protecting Russian citizens are hypocrisy that was used as reason of starting war activities.
First number stated regarding ethnical cleansing was 1400, then it was 1600 and later 3000. The first announcement about genocide was made on August 8, at 5 o’clock by Kokoity who was in Java, who was not in Tskhinvali and who left the capital as soon as the war activities started. Russian official propaganda stated that victims of genocide were 1600. Russia continues the same today, in spite of the fact that Putin who visited Vladikavkaz stated that there were several tens of dead people. Special group of Russian office of general prosecutor found out after one month work that 134 citizens were dead, 80% of them were warriors, and others were peaceful citizens. According to international law, genocide was proved only in three cases. Genocide of Armenians, Genocide of Jews and genocide in Rwanda carried out in 1994. Genocide is discussed in Sudan, where more than half million people died. Genocide was not discussed in other cases and it is qualified as ethnical cleansing.
Even in case of Kosovo it is not said that it was genocide, in spite of the fact that 30 thousand Albanians were killed and one million left the territory of the state.
Destroying each other by Georgians and Abkhazians is considered to be ethnical cleansing. 3 000 Abkhazians and 17 000 Georgians were killed in 1992-93 war activities. After collapse of Soviet Union, Abkhazians made up 17% of Abkhazian population, Georgians – 52%. 250 thousand Georgians left Abkhazian territory as a result to Abkhazian events. Georgians now live only in Gali region of Abkhazia.
None of official versions of Georgian-Russian wars are close to truth.
I think that reasons of starting war between Russia and Georgia are processes developed in Georgia in the last 4 years. A lot of reforms were carried out in Georgia – in economics among them. Georgia developed as modern, European, democratic state. Responsible government was formed in Georgia that is responsible for the population. Work of state institutions became transparent.
I can not name state in the world that has developed in the shortest period of time with so many reforms and in different fields so successfully. Liberalization of Georgian economics made it possible for the state to grow rapidly. Georgia imported electro energy to Russia before August events. Nobody would believe 3-5 years ago that Georgia, having energetic problems would import energy. Economic wonder took place in Georgia.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Stalin enclaves economically, especially South Ossetia. Population in South Ossetia has not been working for the last 4 years and living on subsidies of Russian budget that increases annually. Subsidies for South Ossetia made up 700 million USA dollars last year. If we divide this amount of money into 40 thousand residents of South Ossetia, we receive picture that Moscow never financed any of its regions like South Ossetia. Moscow practically decayed the local population by financing them; they have become unused to working. Russian journalists, who visited Tskhinvali together with Russian tanks, told how none of the masters were found to fix the water pipeline problems. On the question why the local population didn’t fix the pipeline, they responded: - do it yourself. According to Putin’s command, additional 10 milliard Russian Rubles were allocated for South Ossetia.
Big military base is being built in Java now. Russian tanks were withdrawn to Java before August events. Russian military technique supply has been gathered in South Ossetia for 4 years. Russian propaganda used to say that Georgia was the most militarized state in Caucasus. Let’s compare the numbers and we’ll perceive that this was not so. South Ossetia, where there lived 40 thousand people, had 87 artillery equipments. Georgian military budget increased in 30 times in the last 4 years: from 30 million USA dollars to almost 1 milliard. Georgia allocated 8% for military field in 2008. But budgets of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were much higher than it was needed and what is the most important, Abkhazia and South Ossetia were provided by weapons by Russia. Only 6 from 1000 people in Georgia were military servants, 60 in Abkhazia and 65 in South Ossetia, this means that both of these regions had ten times more unit compared to Georgia. Georgia had 4,6 artillery equipments on 100 000 men, Abkhazia-35, South Ossetia – 190. Georgia had 5 units of armored carriers on 100 000 men, Abkhazia-75, South Ossetia – 391.
Russia deployed big amount of military technique in South Ossetia and Abkhazia in May and July.
More than 1500 armored technique, artillery equipment, tanks and different kinds of technique were taken to Abkhazia. We don’t have information of GDP in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but we can approximately say that Abkhazia spent 50% of its budget on military equipments, South Ossetia spent – 60%. It is obvious that Russia provided them with weapons free of charge.
We can say that there were Russian military bases before start of military activities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia on August 7. Aim of Russian government was to change Saakashvili’s government in Georgia. Nobody even hid it in Russian government. War against Georgia was prepared 4 years ago. After Georgia had solved Ajarian problems painlessly, Moscow started to think about changing Saakashvili. Russian energetic company’s heads were called to the Kremlin in 2005 and the government told them to make problems in providing Georgia with electro energy. They were rejected by the heads of the companies and they started to act themselves. All oil pipelines and electro lines leading to Georgia were exploded. Russian government stated that it was done by terrorists. It was found out later that terrorists used the same explosive materials used by Russian special units.
Georgian special units detained Russian spies and they were extradited to Russian government without noise. In spite of this Russian special units didn’t stop working in Georgia but on the contrary, their works were reinforced. Georgian special services detained 4 Russian agents in 2006 and it was noisy ceremony of extraditing them to Russia. Russia started economic blockade against Georgia. Transportation, wine, ‘Borjomi’, blockade followed this. Russia strengthens Abkhazia and South Ossetia in military field. Russian diplomats don’t hide that war had to be started before September in Georgia. Russia rehabilitated Ochamchire and Sokhumi-Ochamchire 54 kilometers railway. Russia deployed 50 echelons of military technique to Abkhazia. There was impression that war had to be started from Abkhazia. Georgian villages were fired on August 1. If Ossetians used to stop firing after respond from Georgian side, this didn’t happen this time. Ossetian side continued to fire with artillery equipments. Ossetian information department didn’t hide on August 6 that there were Russian units in South Ossetian territory. Russian defense minister assistant Nikolai Panko and head of reconnaissance service visited Tskhinvali on August 3. They had meeting with Kokoity. Kokoity moves to Java after their departure and evacuation of the population starts on August 3. Russia started war activities on August 3. 58th army is already mobilized near Georgian border for this time and 9000 soldiers, 700 units of armored technique are sent from Russian regions. Russian frontiers occupied Roki tunnel on August 6. Russian information sources informed from August 3 that war had started in South Ossetia, this was when war activities didn’t took place.
Georgian side tried to negotiate with Ossetian side on August 7. Georgian reincarnation minister Temur Iakobashvili visits Tskhinvali who has to meet with Kokoity together with Russian special tasks ambassador Popov. Popov says that he was not able to be on the meeting due to problems of car tyre. He is offered to change the tyre, but he says that the extra tyre is also damaged. Iakobashvili meets with peaceful forces commander in Tskhinvali Marat Kulakhmetov, who offers to Georgian side to cease fire. Iakobashvili tells the proposal of the general to President Mikheil Saakashvili on phone at 18:30. Saakashvili makes televised announcement at 19:00 that Georgian side is interested in peace. He demanded and practically bagged to reach ceasefire. He declared ceasefire partially, but Ossetian side started to bomb Georgian village Tamarasheni and then other villages at 22:10.
Russian journalists in Tskhinvali said that there practically wasn’t Ossetian population in Tskhinvali. According to official information, 34 thousand people were evacuated before starting war activities. After emerge of Russian defense ministry tank colonies, Georgian government concluded that war was started by Russian politicians.
Fights to three direction start after this. Tskhinvali assault, skirmishes near java and Roki direction. Both sides had big losses. It must be stressed that tanks that entered from Roki tunnel reached Tskhinvali only on August 10. Russian troops occupy Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia at the same time. Russian ships are near Georgian coasts. Russian defense ministry had sub divisions mobilized in Zemo Larsi and Georgian-Armenian border.
It is obvious that the war is not over and it continues. Russian government has not refused to overthrow Georgian government. Russia doesn’t hide that Georgian pro-Western choice is unacceptable to it. I think that everything starts from now on. Russian government acted like scoundrels, when they attack weak ones. Russia of course wouldn’t attack NATO member Baltic States. Kiev’s strive to the West is also unacceptable to Russia. Moscow didn’t like when Kiev supported Tbilisi in August events.

Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia

Left: Georgian survivors of the war are studying photographs of corpses, hoping to discover (the fate of) a loved-one.

In spring 1992, especially in June-July, acts of armed aggression and attacks got systematic character on highways and railways of Georgia. These attacks caused serious economic damages to the country. Criminal bands robbed trains and seized Georgian and other countries’ goods. Georgian government had no choice but to defend the highways and railways by the national army in order to secure safe travel of goods. As Autonomous Republic of Abkhazeti was the main area of the criminal bands action, on August 1992 Georgian central leadership decided to bring additional troops into Abkhazeti. This decision had been preliminarily submitted to the region leaders’ approval. It was personally coordinated with Chairman of Supreme Council Vladislav Ardzinba. The movement of the Georgian Army within the Georgian territory became a reason for starting the conflict. Here is what was written on this subject by Chervonaya Svetlana – Ph.D., leading specialist of Institute of Technology and Anthropology of Academy of Sciences of Russia (see the bibliography):

"Shevardnadze did not start this war. By noon of the 14th of August 1992, «the Georgian party» had not fired a shot, none Georgian soldier had been brought into Sokhumi yet, and nothing was threatening the peace in Abkhazian towns and villages. Vladislav Ardzinba declared this war on Georgia in his radio speech. He drew the Abkhazian people into the heinous crime. Vladislav Ardzinba announced total, forced «general mobilization» (every man from 18 to 45). He provided the soldiers with arms seized or stolen from Russian arsenal, and promoted unlawful actions of the Abkhazian armed troops in Abkhazian towns, villages, and roads (the "enemy" had not even reached this territory). The Abkhazian separatists searched for everything they considered worthy, terrorized and killed Georgian peaceful inhabitants. Abkhazian snipers opened fire to people being in Sokhumi sanatorium. They shot scores of Russian holidaymakers on the beach of the air defense forces’ and other sanatoriums. These were the crimes that had to be stopped. The criminals must answer for these deeds. The political purposes of the organizers of these crimes are known: division of Georgia, drawing Russia into a war, Soviet-communist revenge and restoring the Soviet Union."
That is how the war broke out.

"...When they [Abkhaz] entered Gagra, I saw Shamyl Basaev's battalion. I have never seen such a horror. They were raping and killing everyone who was captured and dragged from their homes. The Abkhaz commander Arshba raped a 14 year old girl and later gave an order to execute her. For the whole day I only could hear the screams and cries of the people who were brutally tortured. On the next day, I witnessed the mass execution of people on the stadium. They installed machine guns and mortars on the top and placed people right on the field. It took a couple of hours to kill everybody..."


Georgian government repeatedly appealed to the UN, CSCE, and other international organizations to intervene, while at the same time refusing offers of Russian military assistance. Several UN Security Council resolutions and decisions failed to lead to a de-escalation of the conflict. On July 27, 1993, a Russian-brokered trilateral agreement on a cease-fire and principles for the solution of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict was signed. Complete demilitarization of the region, supervised by Russia, was to follow the separation of the military forces of the two sides. However, the UN failed to implement its long-sought decision to send a large group of military observers to Abkhazeti. Furthermore, the Russian military observers insisted that Georgians did not participate in the supervision of the withdrawal of heavy weaponry.


"...When the Abkhaz entered my house, they took me and my seven year old son outside. After forcing us to kneel, they took my son and shot him right in front of me. After they grabbed me by hair and took me to the nearby well. An Abkhaz soldier forced me to look down that well; there I saw three younger men and couple of elderly women who were standing soaked in water. They were screaming and crying while the Abkhaz were dumping dead corpses on them. Afterwards, they threw a grenade there and placed more people inside. I was forced again to kneel in front of the dead corpses. One of the soldiers took his knife and took the eye out from one of the dead near me. Then he started to rub my lips and face with that decapitated eye. I could not take it any longer and fainted. They left me there in a pile of corpses..."


At the end of August 1993, S. Shoigu, chairman of the Russian Emergency State Committee, declared on Russian television that demilitarization had reached a stage at which resumption of the war would be impossible. Large numbers of hopeful refugees returned to their ruined homes and began rebuilding. Then on September 17, a surprise attack by Abkhazian tanks and artillery, supported by their Russian North Caucasian and Cossack allies, forced the remaining disarmed Georgian troops, together with tens of thousands of civilians, to flee in panic. Many of these victims later starved or froze to death in the Svaneti mountains. Shevardnadze himself, who was besieged along with the defenders of Sokhumi, had a narrow escape. The sudden clandestine Abkhazian rearmament remains a mystery only for the extremely naive.

"...The Abkhaz separatists killed people of other nationalities as well, including those who tried to protect Georgians. After the city was seized, the streets were covered with bodies. Separatists destroyed the Baramidze, Chkhetia, Baramia, Gvazava, Dzidziguri, Absandze, Shonia, and Kutsia families, as well as many others..."

The war ended in late September 1993 with Abkhazeti’s virtual secession from Georgia through a radical ethnic cleansing of its multi-ethnic population and the destruction of its cities, including Sokhumi.Just at the beginning of the war adherents of Vladislav Ardzinba started killing, tormenting, raping, and robbing the inhabitants of Georgian nationality. At first Georgians of the following towns and villages experienced the sadism of the separatists: Gagra and Gudauta, Akhaladze, Bzipi, Ipnari, Otkhara, Akhali Sopeli, Eshera, Kochara, Ketevani, Labra, Kvitouli, Kindgi, etc. Ugrekhelidze, an inhabitant of the village Eshera, was forced to dig a hole of his own height, then he was pulled out his teeth and nails, and buried alive. They left his hand above the ground (the symbol of the Abkhazian banner.) Another Georgian was captured, cut his veins. Then the Abkhazian separatists poured his blood into glasses and drank it. After this they let him go to Sokhumi to tell everybody how Abkhazians drank Georgian blood. The Abkhazian butchers captured sisters – Eka Jvania (17 years old) and Marina Jvania (14 years old), Leila Samushia and others in village Pshadi. They undressed them in front of their parents and neighbors, and raped them. After this the Abkhazian butchers executed all of them by shooting. The Abkhazian "liberators" did not spare workers of education system. They execute by shooting 78 teachers and lecturers. For instance, a teacher Bichiko Ekimiani, Armenian, was executed by shooting together with his family in his own house; a teacher of a secondary school at village Kochaki, Bajiko Vekua firstly raped, then tormented and killed; Bichiko Baramia – an assistant professor of Abkhazian University, diseased and disabled man was executed by shooting together with his wife; Shota Jgabadze – professor was executed by shooting when he was operating a wounded patient. It’s just a drop in the ocean of separatists violence. 30000 innocent people were killed in Abkhazian War in 1992-1993.

"...They captured a young girl. She was hiding in the bushes near the house where they killed her parents. She was raped several times. One of the soldiers killed her and mutilated her. She was cut in half. Near her body they left a message: as this corpse will never be as one piece, Abkhazia and Georgia will never be united either..."

The war was over in September 1993, by actual separation of Abkhazeti From Georgia, by genocide of Georgian population, by destroying towns. As a result of the war 200000 people were forced to leave their own places of residence. The refugees moved to various regions of Georgia.In spite of Russian repeated recognition of Georgian territorial integrity, since the beginning of militant actions representatives of Russian Federation officials, several ministries, and departments, various political parties and organizations have been supported the separatists with political, military, economical, financial and moral aid. Even before the conflict, on March 1992, Autonomous Republic of Abkhazeti without submission of Georgian government approval began making economic agreements with Russian Federation. In early March V. Ardzinba applied to B. Eltsin for economical aid. On March 19, 1992 B.Eltsin ordered Krasnodar and Stavropol Administration leaders to make direct trade-economic agreements with Abkhazeti. The orders were fulfilled during the next three months.