Chechnya I.

This is coolbert:

Ruins! 

"Reinstating Constitutional Order" 

Here begins a serial, extracts of images with commentary, the Battle of Grozny, the First Chechen War, 1994. Thanks in all cases to the web site EnglishRussia.

Grozny a modern city of about a half-million persons [1994] large portions laid waste in a manner as not seen in a European model city in almost a fifty year period. Scenes as might have been witnessed in Stalingrad [1942 or Berlin [1945].

The Russian author Vyacheslav Mironov  describing the events as transpired in Grozny [1994]: "Assault on Grozny Downtown" the first chapter alone highly recommended without qualification!! These images best understood within the context of the situation as described by Mironov, "Assault" someday to be considered [if not already] a classic!

My original blog entry "Grozny" for some reason or combination of reasons having astronomically more views than any other blog entry, Military Analysis or Military Thoughts.

This modern looking building appears to be heavily damaged, so much so that demolition and rebuilding of a new structure is the apparent only cost effective option? A proper urban combat technique for assaulting this type of building would be to land troops on the roof via helicopter and have them assault DOWNWARD from the top floor to ground level, clearing each room and floor as they go. Those large open space surrounding the building make an infantry attack from ground level very difficult unless supporting fire from big-bore or rapid-fire cannon available!

Words alone cannot express! That woman presumably has salvaged some belongings from what used to be her residence? This is the type of thing as might have been witnessed at Hiroshima [1945]?

This does have the appearance of what the aftermath of a nuclear attack would look like! Thermobaric weaponry was used extensively by the Russian in Grozny?

This type of scene is reminiscent what one sees when slum clearance is done with a crane and wrecker ball smashing a building to bits. The proverbial sledgehammer was used to crack open the eggshell in Grozny?

Once more with perspective and depth the ruins of Grozny in the aftermath of battle extending far into the distance, not localized, damage seemingly total and ubiquitous, almost never ending, nothing left unscathed.

To be continued! 

 coolbert.