To the UN Secretary General, António Guterres
To the OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid
To the President of the European Council, Charles Michel
To the US President, Donald Trump
To the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda
To the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin
To the President of the European Parliament, Robertа Metsola
To the PACE President, Theodoros Roussopoulos
To the Prime Minister of the Government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
in exile Akhmed Zakaev
To the members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
TO THE CHECHEN PEOPLE
For the Media
APPEAL
of the Vilnius Council of the Lithuanian Liberation Movement Sayudis
On the 30 th anniversary of Russian aggression against the Chechen
Republic of Ichkeria
Vilnius, 04-12-2024
30 years ago, on December 11, 1994, Russian military aggression began against the Chechen
Republic of Ichkeria, which declared state independence and seceded from the USSR in 1990. This
day will forever become the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow for the Chechen people.
On December 11, 1994, a Russian military group to 120 thousand soldiers and officers and about
6 thousand units of various types of heavy weapons, including tanks, artillery, tactical missile
systems, multiple rocket gun launchers, armored personnel carriers, and countless small arms,
grenade launchers, rocket and hand grenades, various types of mines, etc., invaded the Chechen
Republic of Ichkeria from the direction of Ingushetia, Dagestan and the Stavropol Territory. One
of the most bloody and long wars of modern history has begun..
On April 21, 1996, Russia insidiously killed the first President of the Chechen Republic of
Ichkeria, Dzhokhar Dudayev. The following Chechen Presidents were also ruthlessly and
treacherously killed by Russia: February 13, 2004 – Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, March 8, 2005 – Aslan
Maskhadov, June 17, 2006 – Abdul-Halim Saydulaev.
On May 12, 1997, the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria concluded the
Peace Treaty signed by the Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the Chechen President Aslan
Maskhadov. Thus, Russia recognized the independence of Chechnya both de facto and de jure.
And this document remains the most important fact of freedom of the Chechen Republic.
In September 1999, Russia launched an even more ruthless and inhuman war in violation of the
Peace Treaty. About a hundred thousand Russian troops were introduced into the Chechen
Republic. Several hundred Russian bombers, thousands of tanks, armored personnel carriers and
other military equipment were involved against the Chechen Republic. At times, the Russian
military contingent reached up to 200 thousand soldiers with an increase in the presence of military
equipment.
The Russian army and troops of various special services conducted mass punitive operations with
ruthless executions, demolitions and robberies, tortures and rapes, secret mass graves, continuous
“cleansing” – killing of civilians, kidnapping and detention of civilians and reprisals against them,
followed by sale of their corpses to the relatives in the Chechen Republic. In the Chechen
Republic, Russia has organized dozens of concentration camps, where Chechens of any age and
gender, including children, were tortured, raped and killed with particular cruelty
In addition to human casualties, the Chechen Republic suffered irreparable damage in the field of
economy, infrastructure, culture and education. Entire cities and settlements, factories and plants,
cultural and educational institutions, medical facilities, rare architectural, historical and cultural
monuments were destroyed. Long-term bombing and artillery shelling led to catastrophic pollution
of water resources, soil and air, causing irreparable losses to the natural environment, flora and
fauna. As a result, the population is dying out from the consequences of a long war, children with
numerous physical and mental disabilities are born, epidemics of various incurable diseases have
appeared in the modern Chechen Republic. Russia violated all the principles and norms of
international law regarding the means and methods of warfare in the Chechen Republic. Russia
used all types of existing weapons, including those prohibited by the international conventions, as
well as chemical weapons and weapons with depleted uranium. The Chechen Republic was turned
into a death zone.
In fact, Russia committed the genocide of the Chechen people in full view of the whole world. To
denigrate the struggle of the Chechen people for their state independence, to make the world
believe in “Chechen terrorism”, the Russian authorities and special services organized terrorist
acts, including acts committed in the theater complex on Dubrovka in Moscow, known under the
name “Nord-Ost” to the whole world, as well as seizure with further destruction of the school
along with the hostages in the city of Beslan in the North Caucasus.
The international organizations and world leaders did not assess the actions of the Russian military
forces in the Chechen Republic, where the war was fought against the whole people. They did not
demand responsibility of Russia for its crimes against the Chechen people. Where is the law and
justice?
Russia continues the war in Chechnya to this day – about 300,000 people have been killed, and
damages exceeding 300 billion USD have been inflicted.
More than 300 thousand Chechens have left their country forever and become refugees. This
process continues today. Every year, thousands of people flee from the Chechen Republic to
Europe as they cannot live there in constant fear because of the criminal regime, the regime of
terror, repression and violence created by the Russian authorities in the Chechen Republic.
People recall the terrorist attacks in Washington, Nord Ost, Beslan, Paris, Oslo, Madrid, Brussels,
Berlin, London and other cities in the world. States around the world are taking a number of
measures, but massive terrorist killings continue.
In the September 27, 2000 RULING of the International Vilnius Public Tribunal regarding the
complaint of the Chechen Republic, the following is stated:
- To draw public attention to the fact that cruel crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes
against humanity (genocide) continue to be committed in the world. The global public, states, and
especially the leaders of major powers were and remain indifferent to the extermination of
innocent people.
6.The International Vilnius Public Tribunal views the war against Chechnya as a continuation of
Russian imperialism and the remnants of the former communist doctrine, manifesting in the
evident genocide of the Chechen people. - The decision of the International Vilnius Public Tribunal and the evidence collected must be
submitted to the United Nations International Criminal Court.
The tribunal’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
The Vilnius Council of the Lithuanian Sayudis: - REQUESTS that all possible measures be taken to ensure Chechnya’s freedom.
- REQUESTS that perpetrators of war crimes against the Chechen people be brought to
international justice. - REQUESTS that the 30-year-long genocide carried out by Russia against Chechnya be
acknowledged.
Chairman of the Vilnius Council L. Kerosierius
Vice-chairman G. Adomaitis
Vice-chairman R. Jakuciuniene
Vice-chairman V. Jakubonis
Members of the Board: A. Adamkovičius, G. Adomaitis, V. Aleksynas, A. Augulis, G.
Aukštikalnis, A. Budriūnas, J. Česnavičius, P. Dirsė, S. Eidukonis, K. Garšva, A.
Gelumbauskaitė, L. Grigienė, P. Gvazdauskas, V. Jakubonis, R. Jakučiūnienė, V. Jankūnas, A.
Juknevičius, A. Kaziukonis, L. Kerosierius, Z. Mataitis, H. Martinkėnas, V. Rizgelis, L.
Veličkaitė, G. Uogintas, B. Zaviša, S. Žilinskas
Address for correspondence: to L. Kerosierius on demand, Central Postal Office, Vilnius,
Lithuania
Tel. 8674 38465 e-mail: leonaslabora@gmail.com
GENOCIDE IN CHECHNYA