Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion

Dzhokhar Dudayev International Peacekeeping Battalion (Ukrainian: Міжнародний миротворчий батальйон імені Джохара Дудаєва) is a Chechen volunteer battalion named after the first President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Dzhokhar Dudayev. The battalion is made up mostly of Chechen volunteers, many of whom fought in the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War on the side of the Republic of Ichkeria. The battalion has been under the command of the Adam Osmayev since 1 February 2015, after Isa Munayev was killed in action at the Battle of Debaltseve in Eastern Ukraine.[2][3]

Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion
Battalion sleeve insignia.
Founded2014 (2014)
Country Ukraine
AllegianceMinistry of Defense
Branch Ukrainian Ground Forces
TypeBattalion
SizeSeveral hundred[1]
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander
Adam Osmayev
Notable
commanders
Isa Munayev 
Amina Okuyeva 

Overview

History

The creation of the battalion began in early March 2014 in Denmark. This is where a large number of Chechens, opposed to Russia and forced to emigrate after the Second Russian-Chechen War, are located. It was initiated by the Free Caucasus Organization, which was created in 2006 in Denmark by political emigrants from Caucasus countries in Europe.[4] The battalion's founder and first leader Isa Munayev was appointed a military commander in charge of the defense of the Chechen capital by Ichkeria's President Aslan Maskhadov during the Battle of Grozny (1999–2000) where he used various urban warfare tactics including ambushes, car bombs, and mines during the defense of the city.[5][6]

Battalion composition

Desire to participate in the fight against Russian aggression in Ukraine was immediately revealed by more than 300 volunteers. The battalion includes Chechens, Georgians, Ingush, Azerbaijanis, Ukrainians, Circassians and volunteers from European countries.

Participation in warfare

The flag of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is used by the battalion.[7]

Chechen specialists take part in battles in the East of Ukraine and work as instructors, training young commanders.[2]

The brigade is reportedly taking part in the defense of Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, fighting in the Kyiv area.[8]

Notable members

  • İsa Sadıqov, Chief of Staff of the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion. Colonel of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, former Deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan (1993-1995), former head of the Union of Officers of Azerbaijan.[9] Wanted by his homeland.[10]
  • Sergey Melnikoff, a photographer with US citizenship. Holder of the Order of the Hero of Ichkeria.[9]
  • Nureddin Ismailov, he commanded the Boz Qurd (lit. "Grey Wolves") detachment during the Karabakh war[9]
  • Shamil Tsuneoka Tanaka, a Japanese journalist, converted to Islam in 2001 while being a member of Gelayev's detachment that took part in the conflict in the Kodori Gorge[9][11]
  • Amina Okueva, aka Natalia Kaminskaya or Amina Mustafinova, wife of Adam Osmayev, press secretary of the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion[12]

See also

References

  1. Walker, Shaun (24 July 2015). "'We like partisan warfare.' Chechens fighting in Ukraine - on both sides". the Guardian.
  2. Mamon, Marcin (27 February 2015). "The Final Days of a Chechen Commander Fighting in Ukraine". The Intercept. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  3. Walker, Shaun (24 July 2015). "'We like partisan warfare.' Chechens fighting in Ukraine - on both sides". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  4. Fedor, Julie; Greene, Samuel; Härtel, Andre; Makarychev, Andrey; Umland, Andreas (11 October 2016). Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society: 2016/2: Violence in the Post-Soviet Space. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-3-8382-6948-1.
  5. Walker, Shaun (24 July 2015). "'We like partisan warfare.' Chechens fighting in Ukraine - on both sides". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  6. Vatchagaev, Mairbek (18 July 2014). "Chechen Experience in Urban Combat Could Be of Vital Use to Ukraine". North Caucasus Weekly. Jamestown Foundation. 15 (14). Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  7. "Picture". media.worldbulletin.net. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015.
  8. Ghaedi, Monir (24 March 2022). "Chechen and Tatar Muslims take up arms to fight for Ukraine". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  9. «Бригадного генерала» Мунаева сменил несостоявшийся киллер Осмаев. Кем он командует?
  10. Иса Садыгов назначен начальником Штаба миротворческого батальона им Дж. Дудаева Archived 2015-02-04 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Shamil Tanaka: un musulmán japonés para el batallón Dudayev (in Spanish)
  12. Батальон им. Дудаева возглавил чеченец, обвиняемый в покушении на Путина | Украинская правда
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