Dudayev's widow decided to be frank. A. Kadyrov's statement that D. Dudayev may be alive; the likelihood of an invasion of Chechen militants in Abkhazia How Dudayev died

On April 21, 1996, a missile strike in Chechnya was liquidated. For a long time, information about the operation to eliminate the “first president of Ichkeria” was strictly classified. However, a few years ago, two former intelligence officers shared the details of a special operation to eliminate the main Chechen separatist.

Separatist charismatic

Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Dzhokhar Dudayev was an Air Force officer, as some like to emphasize - the only Chechen general in the USSR. Those who communicated with Dudayev personally recall the “incredible charisma” of the separatist leader - in a short time from the general of the Soviet army, he becomes the leader of “Ichkeria”. Dudayev, in addition to political and completely gangster methods of coming to power, played on the religious and historical feelings of the inhabitants of the region, without interfering with the expulsion and murder of the Russian population in Chechnya. The Chechen intelligentsia is running after the Russians from "Ichkeria".

Separately, it should be noted two rather characteristic episodes of the times of Dudayev's rule. The first is the seizure of power in September 1991, when the “Dudayevites” beat and threw out the deputies of the Chechen-Ingush Supreme Soviet (as a result, 40 people were injured, and the mayor of Grozny was killed). The second is a raid by militants led in June 1995. Terrorists seized a hospital in the Stavropol Territory, exposing women to window openings to make it impossible for snipers and assault squads to work. As a result of the terrorist attack, almost 150 people were killed, and Dzhokhar Dudayev solemnly presented Basayev and his gang to the "Ichkerian" awards.

Elusive Joe

The first Chechen campaign as of April 1996 was considered a failure. Against the background of the approaching presidential elections, the federal government was interested not only in ending the hostilities, which took the lives of thousands of Russian soldiers and officers, but at least some kind of tactical victory on the Chechen front.

Former State Duma deputy and constant interlocutor of Dudaev in those days, Konstantin Borovoy, claims that the leader of the militants wanted to resolve the military conflict peacefully. According to Borovoy, Dudayev was going to make any concessions to end the military operation, but here the words differ from the deeds - the terrorist attack in Kizlyar and the village of Pervomaisk in January 1996, followed by the defeat of the column of the 245th motorized rifle regiment in mid-April. After these events, Yeltsin rejects negotiations with the militants and gives the special services the go-ahead to eliminate Dudayev.

The task of eliminating Dudayev was faced by all the special services from the very beginning of the first Chechen campaign, ex-officers of the special services admit in an interview with KP. However, from time to time all attempts to eliminate the leader of the militants were thwarted. There was even a popular bike that every time Dudayev was about to be shot by snipers, from somewhere “from above” an order came to stop the operation. Nevertheless, the snipers and their leadership had a rather high motivation to eliminate Johar - they were promised high rewards for completing the operation.

In total, Dudayev survived three attempts on his life. For the first time, the human factor worked - the sniper simply missed, hitting only the hat on the militant's head. The second time was let down by the equipment - the mine laid on the route only turned over the car of the leader of the separatists. The third attempt (the explosion of a residential building where Dudayev was with his guards) also failed - the "Ichkerians" left the house five minutes before the explosion. The GRU officers blame Dudayev's "fox instinct" for everything, Borovoy claims that "moles" in law enforcement agencies worked for Dudayev, who warned him about the impending action. Be that as it may, on April 21, 1996, Dudayev was nevertheless liquidated.

Purchased adherence

Organizing the liquidation of Dudayev was difficult for several reasons.

Firstly, it was impossible to simply “remove” it from a sniper rifle - the guard of the President of “Ichkeria” kept the ring tightly within a radius of 3-4 kilometers where Dudayev was located, which made the work of a sniper impossible. Secondly, the separatist leader, who cared about his life, surrounded himself only with loyal people and it was not possible to “rub” into his trust. According to the REN TV channel, three FSB officers tried to put Dudayev on hold, but each time the agents failed. Thirdly, local residents simply refused to work with the security forces - the fear of Dudayev and Basayev's thugs was stronger than the temptation to get a lot of money.

Yuri Aksenov, one of the participants in the operation to liquidate Dzhokhar, said that as a result, there were still “moles” among the militants:
“Chechens are people too and they have their weaknesses. And principles can sometimes be a very profitable commodity. If you sell them well. ”

The informants agreed to tell where Dudayev could be caught, but according to the officer, the work with the embedded agents took a long time - it was necessary to make sure that the "sellers" did not lead the special services by the nose, that the information would be reliable and Dudayev would indeed appear in the desired area. In the end, the deal took place and the security officials had at their disposal the data on where the disgraced Soviet general should appear.

Death pipe

After receiving information about Dudaev's whereabouts, a clear order was received from the headquarters - to place powerful land mines around all the perimeter and ensure round-the-clock observation of the square. But Dzhokhar never appeared in the indicated place. The siloviki feared that they were "thrown", but the source got in touch and asked to wait.

In parallel with the plan with mines, the headquarters developed an alternative plan - an air-to-ground missile strike with a tip to the satellite phone of the President of Ichkeria. But to carry out such an operation, it was necessary to solve three serious problems: to know where and when Dudayev would appear, how long he would stay there, and the guidance system itself. The last problem was dealt with very quickly, thanks to Soviet developments in the bearing of radio devices.

Information about Dudaev's whereabouts was obtained with the help of the same "mole". He said that Dudayev would go to get in touch near the village of Gekhi-Chu - the so-called military prosecutor of "Ichkeria" lived there. According to Aksenov, on that day, all the participants in the special operation were incredibly lucky - the time spent by Dzhokhar at the point played a very important role. The usual conversation of the president of the unrecognized republic lasted about five minutes, and the arrival of aircraft with missiles took at least seven minutes. The guidance system, operating on the signal of a satellite phone, was very vulnerable in this regard - as soon as Dudayev hung up the phone, the target disappeared from the radar.

On April 21, 1996, Dudayev spoke on the phone more than usual, for about 15 minutes. He did not know that at the moment when he was approaching Gechi-Chi, three planes had already taken off from the military airfield in Mozdok: one equipped with a radio-location reconnaissance system and two Sushki equipped with air-to-ground missiles with a laser system guidance.

The separatist's wife, Alla Dudaeva, told Kommersant about the events of that day:
“And then Dzhokhar started talking to Borov. He told me: "Move back to the ravine." And here I am standing with Vakha Ibragimov at the edge of a ravine, early spring, the birds are singing. And one bird is crying - as if moaning from a ravine. I didn't know then that it was a cuckoo. And suddenly - a rocket hit behind me. I stood about twelve meters from Dzhokhar, I was thrown into a ravine. With peripheral vision, she saw a yellow flame. She began to crawl out. I looked - there was no UAZ. And then the second blow. One of the guards fell on top of me, he wanted to close me. When it calmed down, he got up, and I heard the cry of Viskhan, Dzhokhar's nephew. I scrambled out, I don’t understand where everything disappeared: neither the UAZ, nor Vakha Ibragimov, I was walking as in a dream, and then I stumbled over Dzhokhara. He was already dying. "

Borovoy, in an interview with MK, confirmed the fact of a conversation with Dudaev on April 21, 1996:
“It was about eight in the evening. The conversation was interrupted. However, our conversations were interrupted very often ... He sometimes called me several times a day. I'm not one hundred percent sure that the missile strike happened during our last conversation with him. But he never got in touch with me (he always called, I didn't have his number). "

Borovoy also put forward a version about the "unique" equipment of the Russian special services, thanks to which it was possible to eliminate Dudaev:
“As far as I know, specialists-scientists took part in the operation, who, using several developments, were able to identify the coordinates of the source of electromagnetic radiation. At the moment when Dudayev got in touch, in the area where he was, the electricity was cut off - to ensure the allocation of a radio signal.

The leader of the "Ichkerians" died in a security jeep. According to his wife, the general's corpse lay at home for three days - relatives were afraid to admit his death, although the very next day all news agencies were in a hurry to report the most important news of the spring of 1996: Dudayev is no longer there.

Chechnya is famous for its unique mountain landscapes, for which many brave heroes fought. The spirit of freedom flows in the veins of the dignified Chechen people. For a long time, Dzhokhar Dudayev was an example of the unique strong-willed character of this small country. The biography of the ruler, like the fate of Chechnya itself, is quite eventful and tragic. The son of his proud nation defended the interests of his small republic until the end of his life. What was he like, General Dzhokhar Dudayev?

The biography of the supreme elder of the first Chechen military actions leads us back to 1944. It became very fateful for the Chechen population. It was then that Stalin gave the order to expel the Chechens from the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic to the Central Asian and Kazakh lands. This action of the central authorities was explained by the fact that the male population of the Chechen state was engaged in robberies and robberies. It was in this year that Dzhokhar Musaevich was born, who in the future will lead the process for the secession of Chechnya from the USSR.

Formation of the future commander

So, after the deportation, the Dudayev family ended up in Kazakhstan (in the Pavlodar region). How did Dudayev Dzhokhar Musaevich spend his youth? The biography of the Chechen celebrity leads to the village of Pervomayskoye, which is in the Galanchozh region of the Chechen-Ingush state. It was here that Dzhokhar was born. In some materials, the date of birth is indicated on February 15, but there is no exact confirmation of this. His father's name was Musa, and his mother was Rabiat. They raised 13 children, the youngest was Dzhokhar Dudayev. The family consisted of 7 children born in this marriage, and 6 children of the father from a previous marriage.

The boy's father died when he was only 6 years old. Dzhokhar was a diligent student, which cannot be said about his brothers and sisters. Once, for his leadership qualities, he was elected head of the class. Upon returning to their native places, in 1957, the Dudayev family stopped in Grozny without a father.

After leaving school (in 1960), Dzhokhar becomes a student at the North Ossetian Pedagogical University. He chose the direction of physics and mathematics. But he studied there for only one year. Where does Dzhokhar Dudayev go next?

His biography continues at the Tambov Higher Military Aviation School, where he studied for 4 years. During these years, Dzhokhar had to carefully hide his Chechen origin, calling himself Ossetian. Only after receiving a certificate of education, in 1966, he insists that his true origin be recorded in his personal documents.

Army and military career

Dzhokhar Dudayev began his military service in the combat units of the Air Force. Photos perfectly demonstrate his military bearing. As soon as he graduated from the military school, he was sent as an assistant to the aircraft commander to the Shaikovka airfield in the Kaluga region. After 2 years of service, he joined the ranks of the Communist Party.

Where does the biography of Dzhokhar Dudayev lead next? It is worth mentioning briefly about his studies at the Air Force Academy. Yu.A. Gagarin (1971-1974). Dudaev's track record included many military duties: deputy commander of an air regiment, chief of staff, detachment commander. Co-workers remembered him as a highly moral person, sometimes a little temperamental and ardent.

The armed conflict in Afghanistan also affected part of the life of the future general. There he was the commander of the Tu-22MZ bomber and flew combat missions on it, although he later denied this fact. Then for three years he served in the Ternopil bomber brigade. After that, he became commander of the military garrison in Estonia (Tartu), where he was awarded the rank of Major General of Aviation.

What kind of commander was Dzhokhar Dudayev? The biography suggests that he was a knowledgeable commander. After the withdrawal of the Soviet army from Afghanistan, he was awarded the Order of the Battle Red Banner. Dudaev was distinguished by stubbornness, self-control, presence of mind and concern for his subordinates. In the unit entrusted to him, a strict regime and discipline always reigned, the life of subordinates was always perfectly equipped.

Immersion in political activity

In 1990, Dzhokhar Dudayev took over as chairman of the Executive Committee at the Chechen National Forum, held in Grozny. A year later, he initiated the dissolution of the Supreme Council of the CRI and became the head of the public movement for distrust of the government. The general initiated the introduction of parallel administrative bodies, declaring the deputies of Chechnya incapacitated.

After the August 1991 incidents in Moscow, the political climate in the Chechen Republic worsened. General democratic organizations took power into their own hands. Dudayev's men captured the Grozny City Council, the airport and the city center.

President of the self-proclaimed republic

How did Dzhokhar Dudayev become president? The general's biography in the political sphere was very rich. In October 1991, he was elected and announced the separation of the republic from the RSFSR. Boris Yeltsin, in response to such actions, made a decision to declare a particularly dangerous situation in Chechnya. Dudayev, in turn, allowed the Chechens to acquire and store firearms.

Struggle for independent Chechnya

After the collapse of the USSR, Moscow no longer controlled events in the Chechen Republic. Ammunition from military units was plundered by private individuals. In 1992, an unexpected change of government took place in neighboring Georgia. Together with the Georgian leaders, Dudayev took up the formation of an armed organization in the Transcaucasus. The purpose of this unification was the formation of republics separated from Russia.

Moscow tried in every possible way to seat Dudayev's government at the negotiating table, but he demanded recognition of the republic's independence. In parallel, the same actions took place in neighboring Georgia, which demanded its independence. Unofficially, the rulers of Saudi Arabia demonstrated their disposition towards independent Chechnya, but they were afraid to directly support Dudayev's power. As president, Dudayev is visiting Turkey, Cyprus, Bosnia, and the United States. The purpose of the American meeting was to sign agreements with the founders for oil production in the Chechen Republic.

Loss of trust and support

After a year of Dudayev's presidency, the situation in Chechnya begins to aggravate, disagreements appear in the positions of the parliament and the head of state. Dzhokhar Dudayev decides to dissolve parliament and impose a curfew. At that moment, opposition forces began to form, an attempt was made on the president's life, but he managed to escape. All these events led to armed clashes.

Fighting clashes in Chechnya (1993-95)

The summer period of 1993 in Chechnya turned out to be hot, the opposition forces had to retreat to the north of the republic. There the opposition formed its own governing bodies. Dudayev managed to ensure that Chechnya did not take part in the elections to the State Duma of Russia. But the contradictions within the rule of Dzhokhar Dudayev weakened his governance more and more. The opposition formed the Provisional Council, headed by Umar Avturkhanov. Dudayev, on the other hand, began an active liquidation of the opposition, who was supported by Russia. After the National Congress, which was held by Dudayev, it was decided to declare a "holy war" on Russia. This is how the first Ruthless struggle for the independence of Chechnya began, the biography of Dzhokhar Dudayev was full. Briefly, it is necessary to mention the creation of camps by him for the maintenance of persons who disagree with his position.

In December 1994, with the help of helicopters, the special services managed to eliminate Dudayev's planes at the Grozny airport. Opposition forces broke into Grozny, but they could not gain a foothold there, they needed the support of Moscow. The head of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, ordered the destruction of illegal gangs in Chechnya, headed by Dzhokhar Dudayev. This order led to the tragic events in Budennovsk. This is a city in the Stavropol Territory, which was chosen by a detachment of militants under the command of Shamil Basayev to take hostages and present their demands to the central authorities. As a result of such actions, 100 civilians of Budennovsk were killed. The Russian authorities did not make concessions to Basayev's detachment.

Liquidation of Dzhokhar Dudayev

From the first days of the Chechen war, the Russian intelligence department kept the generalissimo of the Chechen republic at gunpoint. 3 attempts were made on him, and all was unsuccessful. The first ended with a sniper's miss, the second - with luck after the explosion of his car, the third - with the timely departure from the building, which was exposed to an aircraft strike.

In 1996, the parties to the confrontation were reconciled for a short time, Yeltsin was even going to recognize the independence of Chechnya. But soon the terrorists fired at a detachment of Russian soldiers near the village of Yaryshmardy, and the president instructed his head of security and the head of the FSB to destroy Dzhokhar Dudayev. The operation was designed very carefully and thought out in various ways. The "elusive leader" was especially careful.

To carry out this operation, a special device was developed that can perceive the waves of a mobile phone. This device transmitted the location of the subscriber to the military. The operation was carried out on April 21, 1996. The developed device caught Dudaev's whereabouts, and 2 SU-24 bombers flew there. Several very powerful anti-radar missiles were fired from the planes at the car where the Chechen leader was. This is how Dzhokhar Dudayev died. Death came a few minutes after the shelling. Then his wife Alla was next to Dudaev, but she managed to escape in a ravine. Dzhokhar died in the arms of his wife. The media announced only the next day that Dzhokhar Dudayev had been liquidated (photo in the article).

Reaction to Dudaev's death

The world press informed in great detail about the elimination of the President of Chechnya. Dudaev Dzhokhar Musaevich could not fulfill his dreams. The biography of a talented leader ended tragically. Many journalists said that this campaign was carried out precisely for the re-election of Yeltsin for a second term. Russia has since taken a tough stance and offered its terms to the militants. This led to the resumption of hostilities. Chechen fighters decided to avenge the death of their leader by attacking Grozny. For some time, the Chechens managed to keep the preponderance of the fighting on their side.

At this time, rumors spread that the President of Ichkeria was still alive. But all of them were dispelled after the video with the burnt corpse of Dudaev was released in 2002.

Battalion in memory of the Chechen leader

In 2014, with the emergence of confrontation in the eastern part of Ukraine, a volunteer armed detachment was created - the Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion (to carry out an international peacekeeping mission). It was formed in Denmark from Chechens who emigrated from Chechnya after the end of hostilities there. The battalion of Dzhokhar Dudayev was organized by the socio-political association "Free Caucasus" specifically to protect the interests of Ukraine in the clash in Donbass. The battalion assisted the Ukrainian army in the fiercest battles for liberation. The most famous members of this military formation are Isa Manuev, Serhiy Melnikoff, Nureddin Ismailov, Adam Osmaev, Amina Okueva.

Family life after the death of Dudaev

The activities of Dzhokhar Dudayev, like his person, are assessed ambiguously even 20 years after his death. For a long time, rumors spread that he managed to survive. Only 5 years ago, the special services declassified information about his liquidation. There is a version that among the commander's entourage there was a traitor who gave him away for $ 1 million.

How did the further life of the Dudaev family develop? The most famous is the youngest son - Degi. One of the eldest sons, Ovlur, completely changed his name and surname and lived for some time in Lithuania under the name Davydov Oleg Zakharovich. Then he moved to Sweden. Dzhokhar Dudaev's daughter - Dana - settled with her family in Turkey (Istanbul), does not communicate with journalists.

After Dudayev's death, Alla's wife immediately tried to leave the country and go to Turkey, but was detained on Yeltsin's orders. Soon she was released, and she spent three years with the children in Chechnya, assisting the work of the Chechen Ministry of Culture. Then the widow spent some time in Baku, then with her daughter in Istanbul, then in Vilnius.

Alla Dudaeva is the author of a book about her husband "Dzhokhar Dudayev. The First Million". Dudaev's wife is a very talented and gifted person. She graduated from the Pedagogical Institute in Smolensk, studied at the faculty of art graphics. After the death of her husband, Alla regularly holds various exhibitions of her paintings and publications in Turkey, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Estonia, France. Also, the poems of Alla Dudaeva deserve special attention, she often reads them at creative evenings. In Georgia (2012), she was offered to host the "Caucasian Portrait" program on television, which she did an excellent job. Thanks to her husband's fame, Alla Dudaeva's paintings are exhibited in many cities around the world. In 2009 she was elected a member of the Presidium of the CRI Government. The woman has been living in Sweden recently.

August 24, 2001.
Live broadcast of the radio station "Echo of Moscow" Shamil Beno, representative of the organization "Assistance to the Livelihoods of Citizens", the former General Representative of Chechnya under the President of Russia.
The broadcast is hosted by Marina Koroleva.

M. KOROLEVA: My first question is related to today's really sensational news that appeared in the Parliamentary Gazette. Akhmad Kadyrov, the current head of the Chechen administration, gave a long interview to this newspaper and there, in particular, said that he was absolutely sure that Dzhokhar Dudayev was alive. He explained this by the fact that in 1996 Boris Yeltsin decided to run for a second term, and then it was decided to end the Chechen war, but simply because of public opinion, negotiations with Dudayev were impossible. And then, allegedly in Moscow, a certain scenario was developed, according to which it was decided to falsely kill Dzhokhar Dudayev and lead already, to sign peace with Yandarbiev, such a version, although Akhmat Kadyrov did not support it in any way, that is, he did not refer to anyone, did not give facts and evidence. But today for the first time such a statement was made by a person of such rank. What do you think?
S. BENO: Since 1996, rumors that Dudayev is alive have been spreading throughout the republic, and a lot of people have asked questions, including journalists. I will say that I knew Dudaev well enough, we worked together for days and nights, and I have the impression that if he could move around, say something, then this is the kind of person who definitely declared himself in one form or another, and signed by Dudaev. He was the white bone of the Soviet generals, who were not used to hiding behind other people's backs. I am convinced that Dudayev died in 1996 and his death was connected precisely with the presidential elections in Russia, because he was the only politician informed at that time and the only unpredictable politician for the presidential elections. And I think, to be honest, his departure from the political scene in Chechnya was not a purely Russian operation. I suspect that other countries could also take part in this, because he got in touch via a commercial system, which immediately calculates the tariff by second and immediately indicates which subscriber got in touch in this situation. As far as I interviewed witnesses of the area where this happened, this is the Urus-Martan district, for a day and a half, the drone of a high-flying aircraft was actually heard, which hovered over this area and could fix a radio beam emanating from the communication system.
M. KOROLEVA: Let's remember in a little more detail what happened then. First, you say that you worked a lot with Dudayev. When it was? And where were you at the very time when Dzhokhar Dudayev died or, as Akhmat Kadyrov says, allegedly died?
SH.BENO: I was in Grozny and one of the first to learn about Dudayev's death, the message, as you remember, was transmitted by Asuev Shirip, who was a TASS correspondent at that time in Chechnya, and before he transmitted this message, we were at he was at home this issue was discussed. My first thought was to write an obituary, this obituary was published in the Svoboda newspaper, which is published in the Urus-Martan region of Chechnya. I personally believe that Dudayev, of course, was a bad president for Chechnya, one might say, a very bad president, but as a man of honor who can walk through a closed position, to the end I have no doubts that he is not hiding anywhere. is not hiding, it is not in his nature.
M. KOROLEVA: That is, you do not think that you could come to an agreement with Dudayev by promising him something, including that later, after some time, he may appear on the political arena, including the Chechen one, but after a while, when will everything change around?
SH.BENO: Dudayev was a very tough general. I can cite a lot of examples when his position did not differ in the goal of self-preservation. And I can say that when Volsky met him in 1995 during negotiations in Grozny, Dudayev was offered to move abroad, he was given a Jordanian passport, all the conditions, and he refused very harshly, and then appeared on TV militants , where he said that all kinds of marauders, grabbers (I do not remember how he characterized these proposals) offer him to solve this problem at the expense of the people.
M. KOROLEVA: Maybe, if this was not motivated by some feelings related to self-preservation, perhaps he could have been convinced that it was simply beneficial for Chechnya, for the Chechen people at that moment? Indeed, after he died, the Khasavyurt Peace Treaty was soon signed.
S. BENO: For Dudayev, Chechnya was a piece on a chessboard, one of the pieces. He was a member of the global game. There are a lot of moments here - his trip to Lebanon, his trip to Yugoslavia, his trip to Sudan, Iraq, etc. But at the same time, for someone to work for Dudayev and receive instructions from someone, I do not allow this, at least taking into account his ambition. Another thing is that he believed that he had very strong partners in Moscow. In May, May 12, 1994, during many hours of discussion with him about the upcoming war, where I raised the question, already being retired from the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, about the need for a referendum in order to remove from the hands of the Moscow "hawks" the possibility of introducing troops against the Dudayev regime, allegedly, and not against the will of the people, when I left his office, he said - Shamil, you have no idea how much I still need you. At the same time, I reminded him of the fate of Manuel Mariega in Panama, who at one time was raised, and then taken and condemned, Marcos from the Philippines, but he was convinced that his role and place in the political reality of the post-Soviet space was unshakable and was still very much needed ...
M. KOROLEVA: And he named his so-called strong partners, pointed out who it was and what level they were at least?
S. BENO: I think this is the level of generals, such as Shaposhnikov, Grachev, business partners, as far as I can imagine from the information that came from different people, this is Shumeiko. But I think that, of course, the military forces are also involved here, and, first of all, perhaps, the GRU, activities related to Yugoslavia, the Middle East, were aimed at the fact that democratic Russia does not maintain relations with rogue countries, and at the same time, when the Americans ask why your general is there, they are told that this is a rebellious republic, in principle, beyond our control. I can cite a lot of facts when the Chechen factor was used to achieve the goals of the federal center and Chechnya received nothing in return. In principle, I was not opposed to helping Russia in Abkhazia, in Karabakh, somewhere else, but the reason for my personal resignation was in two issues - the absence of a referendum, the refusal to hold a referendum for Dudayev, and the second is that every service that the Chechen Republic provided Moscow in supporting its interests in the Caucasus and in other regions was to be supported by public agreements between the federal center and Grozny. How did this happen? Abkhazia was rendered a service - from this Dudayev or his closest circle benefits from it, but not anyone else. This had no effect for the people, this cooperation had no effect to stabilize the situation, and the cooperation of the special services usually ends with the stronger side throwing the weaker side, which is why I warned him.
M. KOROLEVA: Victor says: “You are too idealizing the Soviet officers. Did you yourself serve in the Soviet army? "
S. BENO: I dreamed of being an officer in the Soviet army, but we were immigrants from Jordan, and I had no chance of serving with the exception of the construction battalion, since the Soviet system assumed a lack of trust in the individual. But I do not idealize the Soviet officers as a whole, I idealize their spiritual baggage. They were sincere communists, they believed that they were carrying out a great deed, and Dudayev was a white bone, because he was a general of strategic aviation, and any person could not become a general of strategic aviation. These were convinced people who had taken strategic bombers into the air for a decade and said goodbye to their families every time. That is, every time he could not return to earth. And to have such living conditions, of course, it caused certain nuances. But I'll give you a simple example. We were sitting in Dudayev's office when negotiations were to take place with the command of the Transcaucasian military district. And the general came either two or three stars more than Dudaev's. The meeting was quite confidential at the time, and I watched the reaction of the two generals as they met. Dudayev pretended that he was working on the papers, bowed his head and another general, higher in rank than he, came in. He looks around in the office, walks to the middle of the hall, raises his hand and says, Comrade President, General such and such has arrived! Dudayev raises his head and says to the general, where is your headdress? He's to blame! He turns around, goes back, enters in his cap. In the Western armies, you can salute without a headdress, I did not know that in the Soviet army without a headdress it is impossible to salute. Such nuances of relations between the military, there were a lot of them in the republic, and you can talk endlessly. But that this was a military bone, and that there was discipline, and that this army was the heir of the Great Patriotic War, of course, was present here. These are not current officers.
M. KOROLEVA: If you saw Dudayev in this situation, especially in those years, as in your opinion, this turning point must have been very painful for him, former friends, former comrades in the army, colleagues, and they actually become your enemies. And how did this happen?
S. BENO: I will simply remind Dudaev's telegram to Denikin, which he wrote in December at the end of 1994: "Congratulations on your victory in the air, we will meet on the ground."
M. KOROLEVA: Returning to today's statement by Akhmad Kadyrov, for the first time, indeed, a person of this level, that is, a completely official person, you said that rumors have been circulating since 1996, it is true, from time to time someone - Somehow he said that Dudayev might be alive. But in this case, firstly, it sounded with absolute certainty, that is, Kadyrov has no doubts that this is so, on the other hand, it is difficult to regard this simply as a statement of a private person, he is an official person. How can this be regarded? Does anyone need this statement in this case, or did it come out at some time that someone needed? How to approach this?
S. BENO: I do not think that this is connected with any specific events or is beneficial to someone. It’s just that during the conversation, Kadyrov could well imagine himself in Dudayev’s place. Kadyrov is a religious man, Dudayev is a military man. Different approaches to life situations. I think that the rumors that Dudayev was alive were also supported by his relatives. It was his relatives, brothers who did not give the opportunity to determine the grave, the place of burial of Dudaev. The fact is that we are Suffists, and Dudayev belonged to the Kadyrian order. The Kadyri order is famous for the fact that Kunta-Khadzhi, the founder of this order in Chechnya, was arrested by the tsarist authorities and exiled, and died in exile, and the Kadyrists, fanatical followers of Kadyrism, still believe that Kunta-Khadzhi can return, that is, how the disappeared imam of Shiism. The fact is that the Chechens received Islam not through the direct Arab conquest, but received it through educators, from Azerbaijan, through Dagestan, etc. Elements of Shiism are present in our spirituality. And, naturally, Dudayev's relatives, not having after him any personality and strength that could represent their interests in society, and to maintain their weight, also said that Dudayev would return. That is, they wanted to canonize him to a certain extent, so that the followers of Kadyrism could believe and invite Dudayev here. As you know, Kadyrov is also a Kadyr.
M. KOROLEVA: So you associate it with religious affiliation?
SH.BENO: There is this moment in the mentality of the Chechens, but, naturally, I have no reason not to believe Basayev, not to believe Maskhadov, not to believe Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, who know where Dudayev is buried, and who have repeatedly very responsibly stated that that Dudayev was killed. But the most important thing for me personally, in order to decide whether he is alive or not, is that I know him well, many know him well, but from the point of view of a politician, of course, Dudayev is not the person whom or the GRU, or the FSB, can hide somewhere and so that he quietly and peacefully live out his life. He's not that kind of person.
M. KOROLEVA: What do you think, if such a miracle happened and Dudayev appeared now, who could he be in Chechnya and how would they react to this, in your opinion, in Chechnya itself?
S. BENO: I think if Dudayev appeared now, of course there was no such charismatic figure in the history of Chechnya in the second half of the 20th century, I think he would have become an idol, of course.
M. KOROLEVA: That is, he could merge, unite?
S. BENO: Yes. He was a very bad president, as I said already. His supporters gravitated.If I would describe the opposition in Chechnya as gravitating towards a covert struggle or partly ready-made meanness, Dudaev's supporters were distinguished by a greater inclination to bloodshed, and I made the difference between them only in the fact that some are criminal, while others are more prepared for actions unscrupulous character. But, of course, today, if Dudayev appeared, in my opinion, 99.9% of the republic's population, of course, would rally around him.
M. KOROLEVA: Perhaps, if he had reached an agreement with Moscow, he could have become a president who would have led the republic to peace, including with Russia?
S. BENO: The point is that neither Dudayev nor anyone else could have brought the republic to peace. It is one thing that Dudayev would be an idol, and another thing is to solve the problems of this crisis. We have not yet overcome the communist mentality, when we believe that the monarch, or the king, or the secretary general can solve some problems. In fact, the ethnopolitical component, the social component of this conflict - they are so deep that without solving these deep problems it is impossible to resolve the conflict as a whole. Therefore, I believe that very little depends on the personality here, the main thing is that the readiness of both societies to perceive the world, to perceive each other and integrate with each other - so that this perception exists. Today, for many Russians, on a subconscious level, Chechens are different, strangers, and neither Dudayev nor Putin is able to change this opinion. In Chechnya today the situation is such that for them Russians are not only strangers, they are enemies. Because for the first time in the history of Chechnya, such cases occur, as now Novye Atagi is a stable village, and many of the news agencies remember that negotiations took place there, etc. In this village, literally last month, a man sold the land of his ancestors in order to buy a passport for his son anywhere, as long as he does not even know where he will go, he just needs 300 or 500 dollars - to give bribes in order to buy a passport, and if only somewhere far away. In Kazakhstan, over the past six months, refugees from Chechnya have increased by 2,800 people. That is, the process of leaving the republic of the active part of the population, at least capable of doing something, continues, which is why we came to the conclusion that it is necessary to create an NGO, to unite so that capable people in the republic, regardless of the government, could survive. And in this regard, Chechen businessmen say, Malik Saidullaev decided that he would create a fund to help these organizations. That is, we are talking about the fact that in Chechnya it is necessary at least to keep capable people who can become partners of any government that comes after the elections.
M. KOROLEVA: Your organization is called "Assistance to the Livelihoods" of citizens, while, in fact, military operations have not been completely stopped on the territory of the republic, although it is said that there are no longer any military actions. How can the life of normal citizens be promoted if the number of refugees does not decrease, if every day something is blown up, shot, etc.?
S. BENO: Due to various circumstances, today on the territory of Chechnya about 95% of the population are capable. 2-3 percent are people who are capable of a social act without weapons. I'm not talking about militants in this case. These 2-3 percent of people ready for social action do not want to leave. There are people who will never leave in their lives. For example, I am offered a job in the West, but I am not leaving. Because if I leave, I cannot return, my children may not want to return. And there are a lot of such people in the republic, a sufficient number to unite a thousand, 2, 3 thousand people in such organizations and so that they help themselves and others. What did the "Assistance to the Livelihoods" of citizens under the leadership of Timurkayeva do? We installed a ten-ton water tank with the help of a Polish organization that practically saves children from a large chunk of Staropromyslovsky district of Grozny from infection. 17 wheelchairs for disabled people - people who were chained, who absolutely cannot move. That is, in this situation, when there are no public reception offices in the republic, functioning today, when people can come to power structures and complain, in these conditions one of the moments of survival is the help of capable people to each other and to the weak.
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M. KOROLEVA: I will name our question for Ricochet. Today it sounds very simple: do you think Dzhokhar Dudayev is still alive? And we continue our conversation with Shamil Beno. Today there is another alarming information that a large group of Chechen and Georgian militants has appeared on the border with Abkhazia, 5-6 kilometers away in the Pankiski Gorge, and the Abkhaz authorities, in fact, are preparing for an invasion. They say that Ruslan Gelayev is in charge of this group, an experienced and well-known field commander, and if this is true, then the mobilization of reservists is now in Abkhazia. How can you comment on this information, what does it mean?
S. BENO: The fate of the Abkhazian problem and the Chechen one has been intertwined since the beginning of the 90s, when the Confederation of the Peoples of the Caucasus was active, then transformed into the Confederation of Mountain Peoples, or rather, on the contrary, the Confederation of Mountain Peoples was transformed into the KNK. I think that here you can start from afar. The fact is that many events in the Caucasus are explained by the fact that in the first quarter of the 19th century Russia was able to advance its forces and take control of the North Caucasus by the 60s of the 19th century due to the fact that it had established itself in the Transcaucasia. That is, the North Caucasus turned out to be an enclave on the territory of the empire. In principle, the Abkhazian problem, and the problem of Georgia, is of vital importance for Chechnya, due to the fact that this is the only external border. Problem Georgia for Maskhadov is similar to death, and for Dudayev it should have been, but then Dudayev’s other orientations toward Moscow prevailed. In 1993, Basayev came to me at the office of the Center for Caucasian Research in Grozny, together with Khankarov Khamzat, deceased (he died before the first war) and said Shamil, you were right, the Russians are following us. But we were already so involved it was before the storming of Sukhumi - that we have nowhere to retreat. Of course, Moscow's role in Abkhazia is invaluable. And now, if Gelayevites and his supporters and some Georgian militias appeared there, apparently, this means that, in the end, it would have come to this in 8 years.
M. KOROLEVA: I still want to understand why to invade Abkhazia. What will they do there?
S. BENO: I think that strengthening the positions of the central authorities in Tbilisi and upholding the interests of a united Georgian state is in the interests of Ruslan Gelayev, of course, if he is fighting for Chechnya. The fact is that, unlike the Chechen problem, the Abkhazian problem was artificially caused. There were no social problems in Abkhazia, this is the region that lived the best, Georgia and the Transcaucasia, it was the most prosperous region. And the fact that such a movement began there was connected exclusively with the ambition of Ardzinba and his supporters, with the fact that this is our land, and only we will control it, Armenians, Georgians out of here. That is, there was no such deep social, political background as in Chechnya. I think that if Gelayev is there, which I doubt, he has no higher education, if he is there, then this is due to the fact that he is interested in a strong Georgian statehood.
M. KOROLEVA: I have a question related to your non-governmental organization, as I understand it, a humanitarian organization. Maybe a question a little unexpected for you, but the children will go to school soon, September 1 is coming. Does anyone deal with these problems of education and children in general in Chechnya?
S. BENO: A very formal approach on the part of the authorities in this matter is that we allegedly prepared so many schools. But when there are no desks in schools, when children have nowhere to sit, children have nothing to wear, children must be fed before going to school. They come there hungry. According to our estimates, now about 60% of young people have tried drugs one or more times in the republic. At the same time, the Ministry of Education, as far as I know, is trying to do something in this direction, textbooks are being collected, textbooks have already been sent, but many of them then end up from warehouses, unfortunately, in the markets. Including non-governmental organizations are involved. Today they brought me the first magazine for children published by the Lam society, a society for the popularization of Chechen culture and a human rights organization, she published the first magazine for children that helps to overcome stressful conditions. That is, they can color in the same magazine, compose poems themselves, teach them to write essays, etc. that is, there are a lot of active members. Recently a textbook was published, sponsored by one of the Chechen businessmen in Moscow, a textbook on the history of Chechnya, which has not yet been available. That is, here by joint efforts, I think, a lot of problems could be solved. But the problem is how to feed the children and clothe them and so that they study in the warmth. Unfortunately, these conditions are not provided today.
M. KOROLEVA: In the meantime, the electronic voting has ended. We received 830 calls. 40% of those who called believe that Dzhokhar Dudayev is alive, 60% (most, but not much more) believe that Dudayev was killed. For your part, did you expect such results?
S. BENO: To be honest, I expected that more people would answer that they were alive. The fact that fewer responded is a good indicator, says, in my opinion, that we are gradually overcoming the conspiracy syndrome, which we constantly had, that someone was hiding somewhere and he is still alive. This is positive, I think there are fewer of them all the same. 40% of all believe that he is alive, and Dudayev, and imperialism, and Zionism, that now we do not interfere with life - this is already better.

There is as little evidence of the death of the first Chechen president as in 1996

Twenty years ago, the history of Chechnya, rich in twists, underwent a new sharp turn: the first president of the unrecognized Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Major General of Aviation Dzhokhar Dudayev, gave his last order on April 21, 1996 - to live long. In any case, it is generally accepted. Those chroniclers who talk about the "official version" of Dudaev's death are either mistaken or dissembling. For in fact, there is no official version. Much more honest with the readers are the compilers of the Great Encyclopedic Dictionary, who crowned the article on the rebellious general with the perfect fact-checking phrase: "In April 1996, his death was announced under unexplained circumstances."

Exactly. It is still not known where Dudaev's grave, if any, exists. The fact that the general on April 21, 1996 lost his life as a result of either a missile or a bomb attack, we know only from the words of representatives of his closest circle. Even less official sources of information about the operation of the Russian special services, allegedly caused the death of the general. In favor of the reliability of this information, it is true, the fact that since then there has been no word about Dudaev. “If I was alive, wouldn’t I show up ?!” - opponents of alternative versions are fuming. The argument, to be sure, is weighty. But by no means closing the topic.

Dzhokhar Dudaev.

Version No. 1

The main witness in the case of the death of the President of Ichkeria is, of course, his wife Alla Dudaeva - nee Alevtina Fedorovna Kulikova. According to the "testimony" of Dudayeva, recorded in her memoirs, the commander-in-chief of the separatist army, who was constantly moving around Chechnya, on April 4, 1996, settled with his headquarters in Gekhi-Chu, a village in the Urus-Martanovsky region of Chechnya, located about 40 kilometers to the south-west from Grozny. The Dudayevs - Dzhokhar, Alla and their youngest son Degi, who at that time was 12 years old - settled in the house of the younger brother of the Prosecutor General of Ichkeria Magomet Zhaniev.

During the day, Dudayev was usually at home, and in the dark he was on the road. “Dzhokhar, as before at night, circled our South-Western Front, appearing here and there, constantly being next to those who held positions,” Alla recalls. In addition, Dudayev regularly traveled to the nearby forest for communication sessions with the outside world, carried out through the installation of Immarsat-M satellite communications. The Ichkerian president avoided calling directly from his home, fearing that the Russian special services might detect his location using an intercepted signal. “In Shalazhi, two streets were completely destroyed because of our telephone,” he once shared his concern with his wife.

Nevertheless, it was impossible to do without risky calls. The Chechen war entered a new phase these days. On March 31, 1996, Yeltsin signed a decree "On the program for resolving the crisis in the Chechen Republic." Its most important points: cessation of military operations on the territory of the Chechen Republic from 24:00 on March 31, 1996; the phased withdrawal of federal forces to the administrative borders of Chechnya; negotiations on the peculiarities of the status of the republic between the authorities ... In general, Dudayev had something to talk about on the phone with his Russian and foreign friends, partners and informants.

From one of these communications, which took place a few days before Dudayev's death, the general and his retinue returned earlier than usual. “Everyone was very excited,” Alla recalls. - Dzhokhar, on the contrary, was out of his habit taciturn and thoughtful. Musik (Musa Idigov's bodyguard - "MK") took me aside and, lowering his voice, excitedly whispered: "One hundred percent are hitting our phone."

However, in the presentation of the general's widow, the picture of what happened looks, to put it mildly, fantastic: “The night starry sky opened up above them, suddenly they noticed that the satellites above their heads were like on a“ Christmas tree ”. A beam stretched from one satellite to another, crossed with another beam, and along its trajectory fell to the ground. It is not clear where the plane emerged from and struck with a depth charge of such overwhelming force that trees began to break and fall around them. The first was followed by a second similar blow, very close. "

Be that as it may, the above incident did not make Dudaev behave more cautiously. On the evening of April 21, Dudayev, as usual, went to the forest for telephone conversations. This time his wife accompanied him. In addition to her, the retinue included the aforementioned Prosecutor General Zhaniev, Vakha Ibragimov, Dudayev's adviser, Hamad Kurbanov, “the representative of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Moscow,” and three bodyguards. We drove in two cars - "Niva" and "UAZ". Arriving at the place, Dudayev, as usual, having put a diplomat with satellite communication on the hood of the Niva, took out the antenna. First, Vakha Ibragimov used the phone and made a statement for Radio Liberty. Then Dudayev dialed the number of Konstantin Borovoy, who at that time was a State Duma deputy and chairman of the Party of Economic Freedom. Alla, according to her, was at that time 20 meters from the car, on the edge of a deep ravine.

Further she describes as follows: “Suddenly from the left side there was a sharp whistle of a flying rocket. An explosion behind my back and a flaring yellow flame made me jump into a ravine ... It became quiet again. What's with ours? My heart was beating wildly, but I hoped that everything was okay ... But where did the car and everyone who stood around it go? Where is Johar? .. Suddenly I stumbled. Right at my feet, I saw Musa sitting. "Alla, look what they did to our president!" On his lap ... Johar lay ... Instantly I threw myself on my knees and felt his entire body. It was whole, no blood flowed, but when I got to the head ... my fingers got into the wound on the right side of the back of the head. My God, it's impossible to live with such a wound ... "

Zhaniev and Kurbanov, who were next to the general at the time of the explosion, allegedly died on the spot. Dudaev himself, according to his wife's testimony, died a few hours later in the house they occupied then.

Alla Dudaeva.

Strange woman

Konstantin Borovoy confirms that he spoke to Dudayev that day: “It was about eight in the evening. The conversation was interrupted. However, our conversations were interrupted very often ... He sometimes called me several times a day. I'm not one hundred percent sure that the missile strike happened during our last conversation with him. But he never got in touch with me (he always called, I didn't have his number). " According to Borovoy, he was a kind of political consultant to Dudayev and, in addition, played the role of an intermediary: he tried to connect the Ichkerian leader with the administration of the President of Russia. And some contacts, by the way, began, although not direct, "between Dudayev's entourage and Yeltsin's entourage."

Borovoy is firmly convinced that Dudayev was killed as a result of an operation by Russian special services using unique, non-serial equipment: “As far as I know, specialists-scientists took part in the operation, who, using several developments, were able to identify the coordinates of the source of electromagnetic radiation. At the moment when Dudayev got in touch, in the area where he was, the electricity was cut off - to ensure the allocation of a radio signal.

The words of the irreconcilable critic of the Russian special services are practically one-to-one with the version that appeared several years ago in the Russian media with reference to retired GRU officers who were allegedly directly involved in the operation. According to them, it was carried out jointly by military intelligence and the FSB with the participation of the Air Force. Actually, this version is considered to be the official one. But the sources of information themselves admit that all the materials of the operation are still classified. Yes, and they themselves, there is such a suspicion, are not completely "deciphered": it is doubtful that the real participants in the liquidation of Dudaev would begin to cut the truth, calling themselves by their proper names. Risk, of course, is a noble cause, but not to the same extent. Therefore, there is no certainty that what was told is true, and not misinformation.

Nikolai Kovalev, who held the post of deputy director of the FSB in April 1996 (two months later, in June 1996, he became the head of the service), in an interview with the MK columnist, held a few years after those events, completely denied the involvement of his department in the liquidation Dudaeva: “Dudaev died in the combat zone. A fairly massive shelling was carried out. I think there is simply no reason to talk about some kind of special operation. Hundreds of people died in the same way. " At that time, Kovalev was already in retirement, but, as you know, there are no former security officers. Therefore, it is likely that Nikolai Dmitrievich spoke not from the bottom of his heart, but that he dictated his official duty.

However, on one point, Kovalev completely agreed with those who claim that Dudayev was liquidated by our special services: the ex-head of the FSB called the assumptions that the Ichkerian leader could have survived completely frivolous. At the same time, he referred to the same Alla Dudaeva: "Is your wife an objective witness for you?" In general, the circle is complete.

The version presented by Alla, for all its external smoothness, still contains one essential inconsistency. If Dudayev knew that the enemies were trying to track down the telephone signal, then why did he take his wife on that last trip to the forest, thereby exposing her to mortal danger? There was no need for her presence. In addition, many note the oddities in the widow's behavior: she did not seem at all heartbroken in those days. Well, or at least she carefully concealed her feelings. But such composure is extremely unusual for a person of her psychological makeup. Alla is a very emotional woman, which is already evident from the memoirs dedicated to her husband: the lion's share of them is assigned to prophetic dreams, visions, prophecies and all sorts of mystical signs.

She herself offers the following explanation for her restraint. “I officially, as a witness, ascertained the death of the president, without a single tear, remembering the request of Amkhad, old Leila and hundreds, thousands of weak and sick old people and women like her in Chechnya,” Alla says about her speech at the press conference held on April 24, three days after the announced death of her husband. “My tears would kill their last hope. Let them think that he is alive ... And let those who greedily catch every word about the death of Dzhokhar be afraid. "

But what happened a few weeks later can already be explained by the desire to cheer up friends and scare enemies: in May 1996, Alla suddenly appears in Moscow and calls on the Russians to support Boris Yeltsin in the upcoming presidential elections. A person who, based on her own interpretation of events, authorized the murder of her beloved husband! Then, however, Dudaeva said that her words were taken out of context and distorted. But, firstly, even Alla herself admits that speeches "in defense of Yeltsin" did take place. That the war brought nothing but shame to the president and that the cause of peace is being hindered by the "war party" substituting him. And secondly, according to eyewitnesses - among whom, for example, political emigrant Alexander Litvinenko, who in this case can be considered a completely objective source of information - there were no distortions. Dudayeva began her first Moscow meeting with journalists at the National Hotel with a phrase that could not be interpreted in any other way: "I urge you to vote for Yeltsin!"

Nikolai Kovalev does not see anything strange in this fact: "Perhaps she thought that Boris Nikolayevich was an ideal candidate for solving the Chechen problem peacefully." But such an explanation, with all the desire, cannot be called exhaustive.

One of the main visual evidences that Dzhokhar Dudayev has finally passed away is the photographic and video footage depicting Alla Dudayev next to the body of her murdered husband. Skeptics, however, are not convinced at all: there is no independent confirmation that the shooting was not staged.

Operation "Evacuation"

Even more doubts about the generally accepted interpretation of the events that happened on April 21, 1996, the observer of "MK" left a conversation with the now deceased president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Arkady Volsky. Arkady Ivanovich was the deputy head of the Russian delegation at negotiations with the Ichkerian leadership, which took place in the summer of 1995, after Shamil Basayev's raid in Budyonnovsk. Volsky met with Dudayev and other separatist leaders on several occasions and was considered one of the most informed representatives of the Russian elite in Chechen affairs. “I immediately asked the specialists then: is it possible to aim a half-ton rocket at a target by signaling a mobile phone? - said Volsky. - I was told that it is absolutely impossible. If the rocket even felt such a subtle signal, it could turn to any mobile phone. "

But the main sensation lies elsewhere. According to Volsky, in July 1995, the country's leadership entrusted him with a responsible and very delicate mission. “Before leaving for Grozny, with the consent of President Yeltsin, I was instructed to offer Dudayev a trip abroad with his family,” Arkady Ivanovich shared the details of this amazing story. - Jordan gave its consent to accept it. At the disposal of Dudayev was given an airplane and the necessary funds. " True, the Ichkerian leader then responded with a decisive refusal. “I thought better of you,” he told Volsky. “I didn’t think you would offer me to run away from here.” I am a Soviet general. If I die, I will die here. "

However, this project was not closed, Volsky believed. In his opinion, later the leader of the separatists changed his mind and decided to evacuate. “But I do not exclude that on the way Dudaev could have been killed by people from his entourage,” added Arkady Ivanovich. "The way events developed after the announced death of Dudaev, in principle, fits into this version." Nevertheless, Volsky did not rule out other, more exotic options: "When I am asked how high the likelihood that Dudayev is alive, I answer: 50 to 50."

A striking example of a not too skillful fake. According to the American magazine that first published this photo, it is a frame of video footage, which was carried out by a camera mounted on the rocket that killed Dudayev. According to the magazine, the American intelligence services received a picture from the Russian missile in real time.

I am not one hundred percent sure of Dudayev's death, and Anatoly Kulikov, President of the Russian Military Leaders' Club, who headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia at the time of the events described: “You and I have not received evidence of his death. In 1996, we talked about this with Usman Imaev (Minister of Justice in Dudaev’s administration, later dismissed. - “MK”). He expressed doubts that Dudayev had died. Imayev said then that he was at that place and saw fragments of not one, but different cars. Rusty parts ... He was talking about simulating an explosion. "

Kulikov himself tried to understand the situation. His employees also visited Gekhi-Chu, at the site of the explosion they discovered a crater - one and a half meters in diameter and half a meter in depth. Meanwhile, the rocket that allegedly hit Dudayev carries 80 kilograms of explosives, Kulikov notes. “A rocket would have turned out a much larger volume of soil,” he said. - But there is no such funnel. What actually happened in Gekhi-Chu is unknown. "

Like Volsky, the former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not exclude that Dudayev could have been liquidated by his own. But not on purpose, but by mistake. According to the version, which Kulikov considers very likely and which was presented to him in due time by officers of the North Caucasus Regional Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, Dudayev was blown up by the fighters of the "leader of one of the gangs." Actually, it was this field commander who was supposed to be in the place of the leader of the separatists. Allegedly, he was very dishonest in financial matters, he deceived his subordinates, appropriated the money intended for them. And he waited until the offended nukers decided to send him to the forefathers.

A remotely controlled explosive device was installed in the commander's Niva, which was detonated when the avengers saw the car leave the village. But how wrong it was that Dudaev took advantage of Niva ... However, this is only one of the possible versions, and she explains, Kulikov admits, not all: “Dudaev's funeral was observed simultaneously in four settlements ... Dudaev's death until his body is identified. "

Well, some of the mysteries of history were resolved after a much longer time than after 20 years. And some even remained unsolved. And it seems that the question of what actually happened in the vicinity of Gekhi-Chu on April 21, 1996, will take its rightful place in the ranking of these puzzles.

In 1994, on December 11, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree "On Measures to Ensure Legality, Law and Order and Public Safety on the Territory of the Chechen Republic", which provided for the disarmament of detachments of Dzhokhar Dudayev's supporters. Troops were brought into Chechnya, and then there was, which can hardly be called shameful. Interviews and memoirs of direct participants in those dramatic and bloody events appear in the media. The weekly "Sobesednik" did not stand aside either, whose correspondent took a long interview with the widow of the "first president" of the Chechen Republic, Dzhokhar Dudayev.

So, Alla Dudaeva(nee Alevtina Fedorovna Kulikova). Daughter of a Soviet officer, former commandant of Wrangel Island. Graduated from the graphic arts faculty of the Smolensk Pedagogical Institute. In 1967 she became the wife of an Air Force officer Dzhokhar Dudayev. She gave birth to two sons and a daughter. She left Chechnya with her children in 1999. She lived in Baku, Istanbul. Now he lives with his family in Vilnius. According to the latest information, he is preparing to obtain citizenship of Estonia - a country where Dzhokhar Dudayev is remembered since Soviet times, when he headed the air division near Tartu.

Correspondent of "Interlocutor" Rimma Akhmirova first asked Dudayeva a question about Litvinenko. Still, before his death, he closely communicated with the Chechens, called Akhmed Zakayev his friend. Here is what Alla Dudaeva replied: “I think that Alexander converted to Islam before his death in order to be close to his friends in the next world. In recent years, he walked along and managed to tell the world a lot of truth about the KGB, FSK, FSB. And this is how we met. Dzhokhar had just been killed, and we were going to fly with the whole family to Turkey, but in Nalchik we were arrested. I was interrogated by a specially arrived young officer who introduced himself as "Colonel Alexander Volkov." He also joked that this is not an accidental name "...

“After a while,” Dudayeva continues, “I saw him on TV next to Berezovsky, and I recognized his real name - Litvinenko. And that time the TV reporters did an interview with me, from which they only broadcast a piece of Yeltsin, taken out of context. our president ", and played him the whole election campaign. I wanted to come out with a refutation, but Volkov-Litvinenko told me then:" Think: anything can happen to your bodyguard, Musa Idigov. " the death of Dzhokhar. The special services were afraid that he could survive and escape abroad. "

The journalist also asked about what Alla Dudaeva thinks about rumors and versions according to which Dzhokhar Dudayev is alive. There are even those who claim: Dudayev had doubles, and Alla Dudaeva married one of such doubles. It is clear that the widow refutes all these rumors. She spoke in some detail about how, in her opinion, the leader of the Chechen separatists was killed.

"The satellite telephone installation was presented to Johar by the Turkish Prime Minister Arbakan. The Turkish" leftists "associated with the Russian special services, through their spy, during the assembly of the telephone in Turkey, installed a special microsensor in it, which regularly monitors this device. In addition, in the Singnet Super Computer center located in the Maryland region of the USA, a 24-hour surveillance system was installed on the telephone of Dzhokhar Dudayev. The US National Securitu Agency department transmitted to the CIA daily information on the whereabouts and telephone conversations of Dzhokhar Dudayev. These dossiers were received by Turkey. And the Turkish "left" officers passed this dossier to the Russian FSB. Dzhokhar knew that the hunt had begun for him. When the connection was interrupted for a minute, he always joked: "Well, have you already connected?" But still he was sure that his phone would not be detected. "

Alla Dudaeva also informed that the burial place of Dudayev is still kept secret. According to her, she believes that someday the former general and former leader of the anti-constitutional regime in Grozny will be buried in the Yalkharoi family valley. The widow accuses the Russian authorities of the fact that the war is still going on over control of oil flows, since the Chechen land is very rich in untapped reserves. Here is a very noteworthy excerpt from her interview, where it is about how Dudayev offered the Americans the right to 50-year-old production of Chechen oil.

“... The Americans offered to take oil in a 50-year concession for $ 25 billion. camel milk, which will flow from golden taps in every Chechen house. "And then, according to Dudayeva, information leaked, allegedly the Kremlin's henchmen, former oil minister Salambek Khadzhiev and head of the Chechen government Doku Zavgayev, themselves offered the Americans the same fifty years, but for only $ 23 billion. ”Because of this, said the widow of the former general, the first Chechen campaign began.

In the process of preparing the material for publication, the author turned to the Ytra military observer Yuri Kotenk for a comment.

After reading the interview, he noted that this is a classic female view of the political and military events of those years. And first of all I drew attention to whom Dudaeva calls "hers". Especially in light of the recent events with the former FSB officer Litvinenko. "His friends", "in recent years he walked on a straight path", etc. - even then Litvinenko was his own for the Chechen fighters.

It is also important to note that Alla Dudaeva again says that her husband is dead. According to Yuri Kotenok, many in Chechnya believe that Dudayev was not liquidated, that he is alive and is hiding in a safe place. Actually, the same is now being written in the press, which cannot be caught in love for Russia, they say about Basayev. Say, Shamil did his job, his undercover.

This is not the case, and here's why. Such eccentric and narcissistic people as Dudayev and Basayev were, cannot lead a quiet secret life, hiding in some quiet place. People who developed grandiose in design (we are not talking about the possibility of implementation) military-terrorist operations against Russia, who claimed to be the leaders of the nation, cannot vegetate in any Turkey, for them it is tantamount to physical death.

And one more remark was made by our military observer. It should never be forgotten that Dudayev openly opposed Russia, it was with his knowledge that genocide was committed in Chechnya against the Russian, Armenian, Jewish and other peoples, it was under his leadership that multinational Grozny turned into the capital of one nation. He placed himself outside the Constitution of the Russian Federation, in fact, outside the law. And Dudayev was not going to hand over oil to the Americans for the notorious "taps with milk", grandiose military plans to fight the Russian Federation were ripening in the head of the former general of the Soviet army. He is an enemy, and they treated him like an enemy.