Guerrilla phase of the Second Chechen War (2002)

The guerrilla phase of the Second Chechen War, commencing in 2002, marked a shift in the conflict from large-scale conventional warfare to a lower-intensity, protracted insurgency. Following the Russian military's declaration of the end of major combat operations in 2000 and the establishment of a pro-Moscow Chechen administration, Chechen separatists, now operating as dispersed guerrilla units, transitioned their tactics to focus on asymmetric warfare.

Key characteristics of this phase included ambushes on Russian and pro-Russian Chechen forces, bombings, sabotage, and targeted assassinations. The insurgents aimed to destabilize the region, undermine Russian control, and inflict casualties on the occupation forces. Shamil Basayev and Dokka Umarov emerged as prominent figures leading these guerrilla groups.

Financing for the insurgency often came from a combination of sources, including the Chechen diaspora, alleged connections to international terrorist organizations, and criminal activities within Chechnya.

Russian and pro-Russian forces responded with counter-insurgency operations, which included raids, cordon-and-search operations, and increased security measures. These operations often involved human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detentions, further fueling resentment among the Chechen population and providing recruits for the insurgency.

The guerrilla phase also saw a rise in terrorist attacks outside of Chechnya, most notably the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002 and the Beslan school siege in 2004, which, while carried out by Chechen militants, were condemned internationally. These events led to increased repression within Chechnya and a hardening of Russian public opinion against the separatists.

The formal end date of the Second Chechen War is debated, but the guerrilla phase persisted for several years beyond 2002. While large-scale clashes diminished over time, sporadic attacks and insurgent activity continued well into the late 2000s, gradually waning under the leadership of Ramzan Kadyrov, who employed a combination of force and co-optation to consolidate his control over Chechnya, often at the expense of human rights.