Special Military Chechen. Episode 2. How did one go from war to peace?

Thirty years ago, Russia stood at a crossroads. In rebellious Chechnya, there was still an opportunity to step back and choose negotiations. Alternatively, the state could place its final bet on the "military approach" as the preferred method for resolving future conflicts.

By the spring of 1995, after suffering the loss of thousands of soldiers, the Russian military had seized control of almost the entire territory of the rebellious republic—yet not of the Chechen people. Resistance only grew stronger, and all attempts at negotiation collapsed. Why? What gamble was Moscow making? Why did the country remain silent as it witnessed the crimes of its military? And why did federal television channels—unlike ever before—attempt to awaken the Russian public by openly criticizing their own army and state?

The film also examines the events of Budyonnovsk and Pervomayskoye—Russia’s first major terrorist attacks, seen as acts of "retaliation" on its own soil. It explores the authorities’ unprecedented attempt to negotiate with terrorists to save lives—potentially at the cost of new attacks. Was negotiation the right choice at the time?

The First Chechen War served as a testing ground for all of Russia’s recent history. This is the focus of the second part of Konstantin Goldentsvaig’s film.