And I travelled with a list of individuals of Chechen nationality currently held in Russian MVD prisons and pre-trial detention centers. This list contains 462 names.

I asked the Chechen side to verify the list: after all, a year ago Aslan Maskhadov told me that Chechnya did not need "Saratov criminals of Chechen nationality." I think little has changed since then.

Though no, everything has changed: prisoners have become merchandise. And for the relatives of those trying to free their loved ones from Russian prison, it makes no difference who they were before: militants or highway bandits. The father of a recidivist serving his third term bought two prisoners: hoping for an exchange. Another acquired twenty prisoners and demands a thousand dollars for each. And a third is planning a purchase to rescue his son—a petty robber...

Harsh Chechnya,
Oh times, oh time…
What have we done?..
Ruins, dust, devastation…
But life goes on!
Shot-up mountains.
Cursed war,
Why so much grief for us?

For some reason, there are kiosks with photocopiers everywhere in the city. Hot bread... Countless small markets where you can buy everything—except vodka, wine, beer: forbidden.

Children run around, many young people with rifles. And they don't look at you askance—no, they talk normally and even smile.

But the war is still right here, on the doorstep.

Children are daily blown up by mines. I dread to think what secrets the Grozny sea holds: how many ruined lives it has concealed...

The war is over. We still haven't learned its lessons.

We discussed one of the lessons with Movladi Udugov:

"You once stated that you possessed materials shedding light on the true causes and true culprits of this bloody slaughter. We waited for these materials—and did not receive them. When will they be made public?"

"What other facts are needed? Do you need a document where, say, Korzhakov writes that an attack on the Chechen Republic should be carried out? Such a document simply does not exist..."

"Naturally... But I am more interested in the financial aspects of this war... 'Novaya Gazeta' already quoted this figure: at the height of the August battles, Zavgayev's government was allocated two hundred forty-five billion rubles under only three headings: ecology, cartography, and fisheries... Chechnya became a black hole into which trillions and trillions disappeared... And we hoped that from your sources we would learn who profited from this war..."

"Many people profited from this war, not only Zavgayev and his administration, but also high-ranking Russian generals, including those Russian figures who provided general political cover. First and foremost - Lobov, who was the Security Council secretary and patron of Zavgayev... Many people received money... Money was transferred here, it was cashed out here..."

"A classic scheme..."

"There could have been thousands of variations to this scheme. But the fact remains... This was under Zavgayev's administration. And before that, Hadjiev, Gantemirov were involved... Until ninety-four, multi-billion sums flowed into Chechnya through FSB channels for Avturkhanov's group in the Nadterechny district. And it wasn't particularly hidden... You remember, an FSB (then FSK) colonel was detained then, who recounted to whom and for what he gave money: Labazanov, Avturkhanov, Hadjiev, Gantemirov... According to the lists that fell into our hands before ninety-four, up to ten thousand automatic weapons were brought into Chechnya through Avturkhanov's group. Moreover, these weapons were issued through the FSK. Everyone knows everything... They know in Moscow, they know in the Kremlin, they know in the special services... So do we need to wait for something sensational from us?"

"If you hadn't promised..."

"I promised to say what I know. And everyone in Chechnya knows that... I can only repeat... During negotiations in ninety-five, there was a man from Korzhakov who offered a certain sum..."

"How much, for what?"

"Five million dollars for the bombings to stop. There was such a man... He tried to reach Dzhokhar. We refused, as we feared a trap. And, to be honest, we didn't have such a sum of money. It would have been very difficult for us... This is a fact I can confirm. Our field commanders know about this man from Korzhakov, our leadership knows... We also know the names of all the direct organizers of this war..."

"Will you name them?"