RETRO-CHECHNYA-BODIES-RUSSIAN SOLIDERS-REBEL

A Chechen rebel passes 03 March 1996 by the bodies of Russian soldiers in Grozny, capital of the breakaway southern republic of Chechnya. Chechen separatist forces launched in March 1996 a major offensive against Grozny. Russian forces were reported to have suffered considerable losses in the initial assault, but after three days of fighting Chechen forces withdrew. Russian troops entered Chechnya 11 December 1994 with the stated aim of introducing constitutional rule in the Caucasus republic. Russian forces fought a brutal war in 1994-1996 to crush separatist rebels in Chechnya that ended in defeat for Moscow and killed 80,000 people. AFP PHOTO ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)