Chechnya

Cultural  

1. A predominantly Muslim region in southern Russia, which declared its independence from Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union. After unsuccessfully invading Chechnya in 1994, Russia renewed its attack in 1999 and took the capital city, Grozny. But Chechen guerrillas (see guerrilla warfare) continue to harass Russian troops in Chechnya. Russians believe that Chechens have been behind terrorist attacks in Moscow. (See terrorism.) Most nations recognize Chechnya as part of Russia.

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Example Sentences

They include Anna Politkovskaya, who spent years investigating allegations of abuses by Russia's military during its campaigns in Chechnya.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Russia -- which fought two wars in Chechnya and in 2015 intervened in the Syrian civil war to prop up government forces -- has been a target for radical Islamists for years.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

He fought in Chechnya and in a brief war in North Ossetia in the 1990s, and later took part in Russia’s military intervention in Syria.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

The Russian president acknowledged that the plane had repeatedly tried to land at Grozny airport, in Chechnya.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2024

It, too, flopped painfully when Chechnya evolved into a second - internal - Afghani quagmire.

From Russian Roulette: Russia's Economy in Putin's Era by Vaknin, Samuel