Casualties officially announced since the beginning of the conflictIt is very difficult to really tell the exact number of casualties
on either side of the conflict. Not only is a large number of soldiers reported
missing, but there is also no unbiased information on the topic as such. The
exact numbers are obviously to be found somewhere inbetween the information
provided by the two combating parties. Although the counts have been increasingly
questioned from different sides, we have tried to trace some of the history
of official casualties information. Although incomplete and with little factual
value, the numbers below provide a minimum insight in the information war that
is a part of any conflict.
Chechen sources:
|
Announced
|
Chechen fighters killed
|
Chechen fighters wounded
|
Chechen fighters missing
|
Chechen civilians killed
|
Russian soldiers killed
|
Russian soldiers wounded
|
|
26.1.2000
|
400
|
420
|
|
10,000
|
11,000
|
|
|
7.3.2000
|
1,150
|
1,300
|
|
20,000
|
15,000
|
|
|
24.5.2000
|
1,380
|
1,600
|
142
|
35,000
|
18,000
|
45,000
|
|
3.8.2000
|
1,464
|
1,730
|
174
|
40-45,000
|
21,000
|
50,000
|
Source: Kavkaz Center
Russian sources:
|
Announced
|
Russian soldiers killed
|
Russian soldiers wounded
|
Chechen fighters killed
|
|
27.9.1999
|
105
|
306
|
|
|
27.10.1999
|
200
|
500
|
2,000
|
|
6.12.1999
|
305
|
863
|
|
|
28.12.1999
|
347
|
1,040
|
|
|
29.12.1999
|
465
|
1,310
|
|
|
6.1.2000
|
500
|
1,300
|
|
|
10.1.2000
|
465
|
1,583
|
|
|
12.1.2000
|
741
|
|
|
|
24.1.2000
|
1,152*
|
3,246
|
4-7,000
|
|
4.2.2000
|
1,300 (1,036)**
|
4,000 (3,181)
|
|
|
8.2.2000
|
1,290
|
3,970
|
11,000
|
|
17.2.2000
|
1,458
|
|
10,000
|
|
28.4.2000
|
2,181 (1,901)
|
6,388 (5,401)
|
|
|
18.5.2000
|
2,284
|
6,645
|
13,500
|
|
8.6.2000
|
2,375 (2,079)
|
6,888 (5,904)
|
|
|
22.6.2000
|
2,405 (2,127)
|
7,005 (6,021)
|
|
|
3.8.2000
|
2,585***
|
7,505
|
14,000
|
|
24.8.2000
|
2,640
|
|
Source: RFE, BBC, ITAR-TASS, Interfax, Radio Svoboda, etc.
* The statistical count of the Soldiers’ Mothers Committee,
that has proved quite accurate during the first Chechen war, indicates approximately
3,000 killed Russian soldiers to this date. Their counts are normally three
to four times the official Russian figures.
** Different numbers indicated by RFE and BBC (in the brackets)
who both quote general Valeri Manilov. The Deputy Chief of the Russian General
Staff is however supposed to have stated ”nearly 1300” and ”nearly 4000” respectively.
The difference can be explained by the Russian constant shuffling with numbers
– the number indicated in the brackets would then be counted since October –
i.e. dead and wounded on the territory of Chechnya. On September 23, 1999 the Russian Defence Ministry announced that the number of soldiers killed in Dagestan was 281 and the number of wounded was 930.
*** AP, quoting Manilov, indicates 2,508 dead to this date,
while the Soldiers’ Mothers Committee, registering the names of dead soldiers,
indicates 5-6,000. Manilov also stated that the number of killed Chechen civilians
amounted to 1,000, which cannot be but final evidence of the degree of trustworthiness
of the official Russian counts.
One of the major problems when putting together this kind of
information is the fact that the Russian side, seemingly on purpose, operates
with different numbers, sometimes including only Defense Ministry troops, sometimes
including also Interior Ministry troops, sometimes counting from August (including
casualties in Daghestan), sometimes from October, etc.
Compiled by Prague Watchdog
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