Transcript Holding Moscow Hostage:

Response to Terrorism during the Putin Presidency
Anna Weisfeiler
Harvard University
68th Midwest Political Science Association National Conference
April 23, 2009
Chicago, IL
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Has the development of Russian national security
policy, vis-à-vis terrorism, been influenced by
major terrorists attacks
Has the Russian response to hostage situations
evolved over time, or has it been variations on the
same response?
◦ Policy level
◦ Tactical level
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Moscow Dubrovka Theater Crisis (Oct 2002)
◦ (This case is sometimes also known as Nord-Ost)
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Beslan School Crisis (Sept 2004)
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10/23: 50 armed men & women storm a
Moscow theater during a performance of
Nord-Ost. 700-900 people are inside the
theater.
10/24-25 Unsuccessful negotiations led by
various prominent Russian figures
10/26 Early morning raid led by Russian
Federal Forces ends crisis, all hostage-takers
are killed, 129 hostages die of complications.
Demands:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Immediate and unconditional withdrawal
of Russian forces from Chechnya (within a
week)
Immediate termination of use of artillery
and the Air Force in Chechnya
The halt of all zachistki (mop-up)
operations
Putin publicly declare that he was striving to
stop the war in Chechnya
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Initial reports came from inside the theater
10/24: offered the hostage-takers safepassage to any third country
10/25: FBS offered to spare the lives of the
hostage-takers if all hostages are released
10/26: Early morning raid
◦ All hostage-takers killed
◦ no antidote is provided (Gas unknown)
◦ victims were taken to undisclosed locations(hospitals)
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Ministry of Interior began investigation (arrests)
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Putin expresses rhetoric similar to Bush
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Chechnya troop reduction canceled; launch of largescale operation against separatists (Nov)
Moscow’s City Prosecutor’s Office opened an
investigation (closed in June 2007)
Legislation:
◦ Restrictions on covering Terrorism – de facto censorship
◦ Amendments to 1998’s “On Combating Terrorism”
 Allows for secret burial of slain terrorists
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Putin cancels travel but does not engage in
actual direct negotiations
Innovative ideas for peaceful end of crisis
◦ Travel to third country
◦ Spare lives of hostage-takers
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Lack of distinction between foreign and
domestic hostages
New raid style – differs greatly from
Budyonnovsk(1995) response
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Insufficient preparation for consequences of
raid
All hostage-takers killed
Putin’s approval ratings rise
Engagement rises in Chechnya, similar to
1999
Amendments to terrorism law but not a brand
new law
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9/1: 30 gunmen stormed the Beslan school,
taking over 1,000 people hostage
◦ Hostage-takers prepared for gas response
◦ Weapon caches are already inside the school
◦ Automatic bomb detonation
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9/2: small skirmishes, King of Jordan
expresses concern while visiting Moscow
9/3: Bomb explosion leads to Federal forces
storming the school, 330 killed, 500-700
wounded
Demands:
1. Withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya
2.
3.
To speak directly with high-ranking officials
in the Russian government
Release of 24 militants arrested earlier in
the summer
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Two to four different headquarters during the
crisis
◦ Chain of command is unclear
◦ Lack of communication between various agencies
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Lack of sufficient medical responders after
the raid
Putin & other state that the country is under
attack (reiterating US War on Terror themes)
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Putin calls for several reforms:
◦ election of federal governors by local legislative
assemblies based upon recommendations from the
President
◦ creation of a public chamber for dialogue, and
addressed issues of living standards in the North
Caucasus,
◦ creating the Special Federal Commission on the
North Caucasus.
◦ introduction a system of proportional
representation in state Duma elections
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Heighten security in Moscow
◦ Rounding up of undocumented residents in Moscow
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Duma reviewed a number of new
counterterrorism measures
◦ In 2006, new Russian Federal law “On Fighting
Terrorism” which takes the much reformed 1998 law
and adds a few new measures including duty
reallocation
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Three reports on what happened at Beslan:
1. Kesayev Report in 2005 (Duma report)
2. Savelyev Report in 2006 (explosives expert)
3. Torshin Report in 2006 (Deputy Federation Council)
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Continued ties to international struggle
against terrorism
Lead to a great deal of reforms
Most investigated crisis of the various
hostage crises on the Russian Federation
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Negligence and/or corruption lead to crisis
Increase chaos and confusion is leadership
Putin does not engage directly
Willing to use guns versus a gas
High loss of life
Few hostage-takers survive
Still unclear what triggered the explosion
inside the school
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Use of force to resolve hostage crisis
◦ Attempts at different tactics
◦ Hostage-takers killed on-site
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Tolerance for collateral damage/loss of life
Demands are never seriously considered
Crisis gave urgency to legal reform
International sympathy and part of the bigger
“crisis” (fight against Al Qaeda)
Increase in approval ratings due to “strong”
response
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Response seems to be a variation on the
same thing (use of force)
Tactical:
◦ Increasing chaos and lack of coordination
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Policy:
◦ Some counterterrorism reform has gone through
natural progressions
◦ Most reforms are made urgent by the crisis
 Leadership has support to for these reforms right after
a crisis