Fangs of the Lone Wolf: Chechen Tactics in the Russian-Chechen Wars 1994-2009 by Dodge Billingsley

Author:Dodge Billingsley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Modern / General
ISBN: 9781911096764
Publisher: Helion and Company
Published: 2013-10-18T16:00:00+00:00

VIGNETTE 14

Ambushed in the Woods

Spring 2001

Musa

Background: By spring 2001 the surviving Chechen groups were more splintered than ever before. Command and control was a chronic problem. Musa and his group, like most others, were not able to communicate safely via radio or cell phone. As a result, the units had to travel in person to command posts to get supplies and instructions. On this occasion Musa’s group was moving through the woods south of Alkhazurova in the direction of Chishki, with the intention of locating a headquarters east of Chishki.

Meanwhile, having recently secured the village of Alkhazurova, Russian units were sending patrols frequently into the wooded mountain areas to cut off Chechen supply lines, isolate Chechen units and individual combatants and destroy them with a combination of small unit action and supporting fire.

Musa and his group had recently fought Russian units in the area and were now moving to reconstitute supplies and get further direction from command elements. Although his unit suffered casualties, there was no shortage of willing individuals to replenish the ranks. Still, Musa kept his group more or less the same size since the early days of the first war — 17 men. His primary consideration was taking care of his men. “I was responsible for arming, supplying and feeding my men. A hungry soldier isn’t a soldier at all.”

Musa considered his men to be well-armed and ready to fight, but past casualties meant new men in his ranks. Traversing the forest this close to the Russian-populated open plain was dangerous. Rather than walk single file, as they might do deep in the safety of the mountains, the Chechens fanned out across their line of march, walking three to five meters apart, depending on the terrain. It was slow going but absolutely essential. Musa knew the Russians patrolled this area just as he did, and he had to be ready to confront the enemy at any time.

Suddenly a burst of automatic fire rang out. Then another burst. Then a barrage of deafening fire. Five Chechens fell to the ground dead. Musa dove behind a large tree for cover and instinctually began to return fire. He could see the Russian muzzle blasts 30 meters in front of him. The Russians were well concealed and were using the terrain for good cover. The Russians had apparently seen the Chechens coming and took their positions and waited for the Chechens to walk into their trap. The Russian unit seemed to be about the same size as his own group, spread out more or less in an arc in front of them. “Maybe there were a few more men, maybe 20, but no more than that.”

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