TAPE 1
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES OF RUSSIAN AIR STRIKE ON ELISTANCHI 07/10/99
0000-0125 Mourning women in the village of Elistanchi condemn the Russian air strike that killed 32 people the previous day (07/10/99)
0126-0139 Crying women
0139-0204 Close up
0205-0214 Mourning women leaving
0215-0305 Two women standing at the site of the bombing explain what happened
0306-0314 Panning from broken plates to woman collecting her belongings in one of the affected houses
0315-0402 Nurse in the hospital of Shali shows a baby who lost a foot during the air raid in Elistanchi, declaring; «this is the kind of fighters Jeltsin is fighting»
0403-0408 Wounded boys from that air raid
0409-0415 Close up at one of the boys
0416-0427 Close up at the other
THE OUTER DEFENCE OF GROZNY
0442-0453 Russian trench digger in use by Chechen forces
0503-0523 Observing Russian forces on the other side of the river Terek
0524-0549 Digging a trench
0550-0558 Close up
0559-0608 One fighter among a group sent to reinforce a position some 15 kilometres west of Grozny. The position was already under attack and could not be reached
0609-0649 Fighters ordered to take cover as attack helicopters appear
0650-0709 Close up of one fighter, sound of rockets being fired from helicopter
0710-0721 Fighters running
0722-0745 Fighter with grenade launcher attached to his automatic rifle looking up from his position
0746-0808 Soldier with religious inscriptions on rifle
0809-0837 Mullah (with fur hat) looking towards the position being attacked, soldiers walking off
0838-0859 The group waiting
0900-0937 Same as above, sound of rocket artillery («katyusha») impacting around the position
0938-1000 The group slowly retreating
1134-1149 Same as above, commander with colourful, traditional cap
1150-1215 Same as above, group reaching area with camouflaged vehicle
1216-1228 Camouflaging the vehicle with mud and weed
1241-1330 Fighter explaining the use of RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launcher
1331-1406 Another fighter explaining the use of automatic rifle and missiles against helicopters and plane
1407-1446 The group praying
1501-1519 Close up
1559-1646 Vehicle leaving
1647-1715 Commander explaining fighter with binoculars where to look
1716-1726 Commander talking
1727-1746 Fighters facing the ridge where the position under attack is located
1747-1801 Looking towards the ridge
1802-1818 The ridge after being hit by rocket artillery
1819-1847 A bomb impacting on the ridge
1848-1924 Another bomb, sound of jet which dropped it
1925-1958 Same as above, sound of explosion
1959-2022 Rocket artillery impacting around the ridge
2023-2052 Another salvo of rocket artillery
2053-2113 Multiple explosions, believed to be from cluster bombs
2114-2121 Jet firing rockets
2140-2200 Same as above, with impacts and sounds
2201-2218 Group waiting as night approaches, one explosion heard
2219-2225 Fighters sitting talking, smoking
2226-2243 A couple of fighters
2244-2335 Calling to evening prayer
2336-2350 Silhouettes of fighters passing in the dark
2351-2403 Silhouette of one fighter with a rifle
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES OF RUSSIAN AIR STRIKE ON URUS MARTAN 19/10/99
2404-2416 Vehicle speeding away as smoke rises from area hit by bombs
2417-2424 Soldiers and rescue workers approaching the first of two bombed sites
2425-2449 Dead man being brought into ambulance
2450-2507 Soldiers and locals leaving the site
2508-2528 Father of young man just killed by bombing on second site, explains what happened. Young brother of casualty shouting aggressively
2529-2547 Young man killed, sound of family mourning
2548-2550 Close up
2551-2554 Family mourning
2555-2605 Old men walking through the rubble of the second site
2606-2621 Panning up to old men among the rubble
2622-2647 Man expressing his opinion about the air strike
2648-2703 Woman wounded in the air strike
2704-2717 Close up
2718-2727 Family and friends watching over man killed at the first site
2728-2736 Close up of mourning brother (?)
RUSSIAN MISSILE ATTACK AGAINST OUTSKIRT OF GROZNY 31/10/99
2737-2800 Fire at a gas pipe as rocket hit outskirt of Grozny. Gas from Russia was at that time cut off, explaining the low intensity of flames
2845-2853 Close up of flames
RUSSIAN MISSILE ATTACK AGAINST DOWNTOWN GROZNY 21/10/99
2854-2914 In the emergency room in central Grozny wounded civilians arrives by the dozens after several ballistic missiles («Scuds» or equivalent) hit the town. Two of the missiles hit downtown, one in the marked and the other just metres from a maternity clinic
2915-2923 Nurse asking man for his name and details
2924-2945 Wounded woman
2946-3003 From the corridor
3024-3029 Wounded woman
3030-3112 From the corridor
3154-3308 From the morgue in the basement of the central hospital in Grozny. The city is without electricity so all identification of bodies have to be done with the help of flashlights
3339-3351 From the morgue of the emergency room (next morning)
3406-3418 Close up
3419-3637 Surgery at Grozny central hospital at the night of the missile attack. Nurse in background condemning the attack
3726-3740 Close up
3751-3834 Wounded woman in another minor hospital
3835-3904 Same as above, faces of family
3905-3952 List of patients received in this hospital, concerned persons looking for family members on list, nurse explaining
3953-4006 Old wounded woman
4007-4029 Same as above, husband (?) comforting
4030-4036 Wounded woman
4037-4056 Same as above, apparent traumatized girl sitting at the floor
4057-4110 From the place of impact close to maternity clinic
4111-4157 Women expressing themselves in the marked (where the second missile impacted)
4158-4301 Same as above, a man also speaking
THE EASTERN FRONT CLOSE TO THE BORDER WITH DAGESTAN
4302-4310 Fighters walking through an abandoned factory
4311-4325 Same as above
4326-4400 Fighter explaining how the armoured personnel carrier «BMP» in the background was knocked out the day before
4401-4416 Fighters walking with «BMP» in background
4417-4427 Same as above
4428-4503 Fighter explaining the use of Russian flame thrower «Smel»
4504-4527 Close up
4528-4539 Close up
4540-4559 Fighters by the campfire
4600-4617 Fighters arriving
MISC.
4618-4624 Commander Ramzan Achmadov (now diseased) shows a Stinger anti-aircraft missile
4635-4643 Officer running through a street in village just west of Grozny believing that Russian forces are approaching
4644-4814 Fighters observing from a corner, talking
4815-4830 Fighter observing through binoculars
4831-4838 Getting into cars
4848-4803 Fighter in car, sounds of rocket artillery
4804-4933 Bus carrying a white flag passes a group of fighters in the outskirt of Grozny
4934-4956 Fighters talking
4957-5010 Digging a trench in the outskirt of Grozny
5034-5101 Russian jets dropping bombs, firing their machineguns and being fired upon
5102-5211 Youngster praying while sitting in a small basement during an air strike
5212-5319 Praying intensifies as a bombs impact nearby
5320-5333 Vice-president Vacha Arsanov standing outside his hideout during an air raid on Grozny
5334-5356 Shamil Basayev during a short visit in the presidential palace TAPE 2 0000-0012 Ecstatic fighters watching a Russian fighter plane being shot down
0013-0022 Rushing out to look for the pilot, who would be a valuable bargain chip in a prisoner swap
0023-0029 Running in the forest looking for the pilot
0036-0040 Turning around as the expected rescue helicopter approach the area
0041-0111 Firing his gun against the helicopter, running to a higher firing position
0112-0134 Commander explaining where he believes the pilot to be, fighters shouting to other groups, Russian jets dropping bombs
0135-0148 Praying
0149-0157 Loading their magazines
0158-0209 Commander loading his rifle
0210-0219 Speaking on the radio
0220-0232 Same as above, fighters looking up when hearing jets flying over
0233-0247 Fighters talking
0300-0318 Vehicle moving, fighter looking to the sky
0319-0351 As another helicopter approaches, fighters take up position, exchange of gunfire erupts further down the valley (between helicopter and other fighters
0352-0355 Pulling back to another position
0356-0409 Commander and fighter talking
0410-0423 Panorama into the valley
0424-0436 Fighters discussing changing location
0437-0511 Russian planes going in for a strike, firing rockets
0512-0537 Same as above, firing guns
0538-0551 Fighters who have stopped the car and dispersed into the bushes, decide to continue driving
0552-0557 Getting close to the area where the first helicopter was shot down
0558-0609 Joy as the fighters see the downed helicopter
0610-0620 Fighters gathering to see the helicopter
0621-0626 Taking cover as yet another helicopter approaches
0627-0638 Commander firing a burst at helicopter
0639-0648 Russian jets passing the area
0649-0710 Fighter approaches the downed helicopter
0711-0858 Fighters starting to remove weapons and anything useful from the helicopter
0912-0926 Close up on red star, panning to fighters
0927-0941 Continuing stripping the helicopter
1001-1007 Commander talking on the radio
1008-1020 More stripping
1021-1040 Outburst of joy, commander showing maps
1041-1051 Panning from gathered things to fighters
1052-1111 Same as above, fighter speaking to camera saying; this is not mujaheddin, this is Allah
1112-1125 Commander speaking in radio, shelling is heard
1126-1153 Overview of helicopter, sound of Russian jets dropping bombs
1154-1201 Panning from tail to fighters
1202-1218 Commander on the radio, shelling is heard. Fighter trying to remove part from machinegun
1219-1224 Fighters leaving the village of Lacha Varanda (close to Duba Yurt) to look for a second helicopter which was downed in no-mans-land in front of Russian forces
1225-1243 Hitting the ground as a shell impact just ahead, the fighters wait a while before continuing. Shelling heard in the background
1244-1254 Locals from the village of Lacha Varanda gathers at one house in which there is a basement. Women and children go into shelter and the men wait outside.
1255-1357 Shells exploding nearby, a woman with children reaching the house, man condemning the shelling
1358-1433 More women reaching the house (lens increasingly foggy as I had fallen into water earlier)
1434-1446 Leaving the village in the fighters' vehicle
1506-1513 Fighter climbing up to the road
1514-1520 Truck on fire after being strafed by Russian jets, on the road between Duba Yurt and Shatoi.
1532-1538 Close up
1553-1618 Truck with a homemade mounting for a 23mm anti-aircraft gun drives through the town of Shatoi.
1619-1629 Panning from ammo to the leader of the crew
1630-1641 Close up on ammunition
1642-1726 Leader of the crew explaining that they were the ones who shot down the Russian jet the day before
1727-1806 Crewmember demonstrating how the gun works
1835-1919 Leader of the crew explaining the events of the day before
1920-1936 Russian jet attracting fire from the truck-mounted anti-aircraft gun
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH PRESIDENT ASLAN MASKHADOV AND VICE-PRESIDENT VACHA ARSANOV
1937-2002 Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov with Vice-President Vacha Arsanov in the background, at an improvised press conference in Grozny less than two weeks after Russian forces have invaded Chechnya
0000-0125 Mourning women in the village of Elistanchi condemn the Russian air strike that killed 32 people the previous day (07/10/99)
0126-0139 Crying women
0139-0204 Close up
0205-0214 Mourning women leaving
0215-0305 Two women standing at the site of the bombing explain what happened
0306-0314 Panning from broken plates to woman collecting her belongings in one of the affected houses
0315-0402 Nurse in the hospital of Shali shows a baby who lost a foot during the air raid in Elistanchi, declaring; «this is the kind of fighters Jeltsin is fighting»
0403-0408 Wounded boys from that air raid
0409-0415 Close up at one of the boys
0416-0427 Close up at the other
THE OUTER DEFENCE OF GROZNY
0442-0453 Russian trench digger in use by Chechen forces
0503-0523 Observing Russian forces on the other side of the river Terek
0524-0549 Digging a trench
0550-0558 Close up
0559-0608 One fighter among a group sent to reinforce a position some 15 kilometres west of Grozny. The position was already under attack and could not be reached
0609-0649 Fighters ordered to take cover as attack helicopters appear
0650-0709 Close up of one fighter, sound of rockets being fired from helicopter
0710-0721 Fighters running
0722-0745 Fighter with grenade launcher attached to his automatic rifle looking up from his position
0746-0808 Soldier with religious inscriptions on rifle
0809-0837 Mullah (with fur hat) looking towards the position being attacked, soldiers walking off
0838-0859 The group waiting
0900-0937 Same as above, sound of rocket artillery («katyusha») impacting around the position
0938-1000 The group slowly retreating
1134-1149 Same as above, commander with colourful, traditional cap
1150-1215 Same as above, group reaching area with camouflaged vehicle
1216-1228 Camouflaging the vehicle with mud and weed
1241-1330 Fighter explaining the use of RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launcher
1331-1406 Another fighter explaining the use of automatic rifle and missiles against helicopters and plane
1407-1446 The group praying
1501-1519 Close up
1559-1646 Vehicle leaving
1647-1715 Commander explaining fighter with binoculars where to look
1716-1726 Commander talking
1727-1746 Fighters facing the ridge where the position under attack is located
1747-1801 Looking towards the ridge
1802-1818 The ridge after being hit by rocket artillery
1819-1847 A bomb impacting on the ridge
1848-1924 Another bomb, sound of jet which dropped it
1925-1958 Same as above, sound of explosion
1959-2022 Rocket artillery impacting around the ridge
2023-2052 Another salvo of rocket artillery
2053-2113 Multiple explosions, believed to be from cluster bombs
2114-2121 Jet firing rockets
2140-2200 Same as above, with impacts and sounds
2201-2218 Group waiting as night approaches, one explosion heard
2219-2225 Fighters sitting talking, smoking
2226-2243 A couple of fighters
2244-2335 Calling to evening prayer
2336-2350 Silhouettes of fighters passing in the dark
2351-2403 Silhouette of one fighter with a rifle
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES OF RUSSIAN AIR STRIKE ON URUS MARTAN 19/10/99
2404-2416 Vehicle speeding away as smoke rises from area hit by bombs
2417-2424 Soldiers and rescue workers approaching the first of two bombed sites
2425-2449 Dead man being brought into ambulance
2450-2507 Soldiers and locals leaving the site
2508-2528 Father of young man just killed by bombing on second site, explains what happened. Young brother of casualty shouting aggressively
2529-2547 Young man killed, sound of family mourning
2548-2550 Close up
2551-2554 Family mourning
2555-2605 Old men walking through the rubble of the second site
2606-2621 Panning up to old men among the rubble
2622-2647 Man expressing his opinion about the air strike
2648-2703 Woman wounded in the air strike
2704-2717 Close up
2718-2727 Family and friends watching over man killed at the first site
2728-2736 Close up of mourning brother (?)
RUSSIAN MISSILE ATTACK AGAINST OUTSKIRT OF GROZNY 31/10/99
2737-2800 Fire at a gas pipe as rocket hit outskirt of Grozny. Gas from Russia was at that time cut off, explaining the low intensity of flames
2845-2853 Close up of flames
RUSSIAN MISSILE ATTACK AGAINST DOWNTOWN GROZNY 21/10/99
2854-2914 In the emergency room in central Grozny wounded civilians arrives by the dozens after several ballistic missiles («Scuds» or equivalent) hit the town. Two of the missiles hit downtown, one in the marked and the other just metres from a maternity clinic
2915-2923 Nurse asking man for his name and details
2924-2945 Wounded woman
2946-3003 From the corridor
3024-3029 Wounded woman
3030-3112 From the corridor
3154-3308 From the morgue in the basement of the central hospital in Grozny. The city is without electricity so all identification of bodies have to be done with the help of flashlights
3339-3351 From the morgue of the emergency room (next morning)
3406-3418 Close up
3419-3637 Surgery at Grozny central hospital at the night of the missile attack. Nurse in background condemning the attack
3726-3740 Close up
3751-3834 Wounded woman in another minor hospital
3835-3904 Same as above, faces of family
3905-3952 List of patients received in this hospital, concerned persons looking for family members on list, nurse explaining
3953-4006 Old wounded woman
4007-4029 Same as above, husband (?) comforting
4030-4036 Wounded woman
4037-4056 Same as above, apparent traumatized girl sitting at the floor
4057-4110 From the place of impact close to maternity clinic
4111-4157 Women expressing themselves in the marked (where the second missile impacted)
4158-4301 Same as above, a man also speaking
THE EASTERN FRONT CLOSE TO THE BORDER WITH DAGESTAN
4302-4310 Fighters walking through an abandoned factory
4311-4325 Same as above
4326-4400 Fighter explaining how the armoured personnel carrier «BMP» in the background was knocked out the day before
4401-4416 Fighters walking with «BMP» in background
4417-4427 Same as above
4428-4503 Fighter explaining the use of Russian flame thrower «Smel»
4504-4527 Close up
4528-4539 Close up
4540-4559 Fighters by the campfire
4600-4617 Fighters arriving
MISC.
4618-4624 Commander Ramzan Achmadov (now diseased) shows a Stinger anti-aircraft missile
4635-4643 Officer running through a street in village just west of Grozny believing that Russian forces are approaching
4644-4814 Fighters observing from a corner, talking
4815-4830 Fighter observing through binoculars
4831-4838 Getting into cars
4848-4803 Fighter in car, sounds of rocket artillery
4804-4933 Bus carrying a white flag passes a group of fighters in the outskirt of Grozny
4934-4956 Fighters talking
4957-5010 Digging a trench in the outskirt of Grozny
5034-5101 Russian jets dropping bombs, firing their machineguns and being fired upon
5102-5211 Youngster praying while sitting in a small basement during an air strike
5212-5319 Praying intensifies as a bombs impact nearby
5320-5333 Vice-president Vacha Arsanov standing outside his hideout during an air raid on Grozny
5334-5356 Shamil Basayev during a short visit in the presidential palace TAPE 2 0000-0012 Ecstatic fighters watching a Russian fighter plane being shot down
0013-0022 Rushing out to look for the pilot, who would be a valuable bargain chip in a prisoner swap
0023-0029 Running in the forest looking for the pilot
0036-0040 Turning around as the expected rescue helicopter approach the area
0041-0111 Firing his gun against the helicopter, running to a higher firing position
0112-0134 Commander explaining where he believes the pilot to be, fighters shouting to other groups, Russian jets dropping bombs
0135-0148 Praying
0149-0157 Loading their magazines
0158-0209 Commander loading his rifle
0210-0219 Speaking on the radio
0220-0232 Same as above, fighters looking up when hearing jets flying over
0233-0247 Fighters talking
0300-0318 Vehicle moving, fighter looking to the sky
0319-0351 As another helicopter approaches, fighters take up position, exchange of gunfire erupts further down the valley (between helicopter and other fighters
0352-0355 Pulling back to another position
0356-0409 Commander and fighter talking
0410-0423 Panorama into the valley
0424-0436 Fighters discussing changing location
0437-0511 Russian planes going in for a strike, firing rockets
0512-0537 Same as above, firing guns
0538-0551 Fighters who have stopped the car and dispersed into the bushes, decide to continue driving
0552-0557 Getting close to the area where the first helicopter was shot down
0558-0609 Joy as the fighters see the downed helicopter
0610-0620 Fighters gathering to see the helicopter
0621-0626 Taking cover as yet another helicopter approaches
0627-0638 Commander firing a burst at helicopter
0639-0648 Russian jets passing the area
0649-0710 Fighter approaches the downed helicopter
0711-0858 Fighters starting to remove weapons and anything useful from the helicopter
0912-0926 Close up on red star, panning to fighters
0927-0941 Continuing stripping the helicopter
1001-1007 Commander talking on the radio
1008-1020 More stripping
1021-1040 Outburst of joy, commander showing maps
1041-1051 Panning from gathered things to fighters
1052-1111 Same as above, fighter speaking to camera saying; this is not mujaheddin, this is Allah
1112-1125 Commander speaking in radio, shelling is heard
1126-1153 Overview of helicopter, sound of Russian jets dropping bombs
1154-1201 Panning from tail to fighters
1202-1218 Commander on the radio, shelling is heard. Fighter trying to remove part from machinegun
1219-1224 Fighters leaving the village of Lacha Varanda (close to Duba Yurt) to look for a second helicopter which was downed in no-mans-land in front of Russian forces
1225-1243 Hitting the ground as a shell impact just ahead, the fighters wait a while before continuing. Shelling heard in the background
1244-1254 Locals from the village of Lacha Varanda gathers at one house in which there is a basement. Women and children go into shelter and the men wait outside.
1255-1357 Shells exploding nearby, a woman with children reaching the house, man condemning the shelling
1358-1433 More women reaching the house (lens increasingly foggy as I had fallen into water earlier)
1434-1446 Leaving the village in the fighters' vehicle
1506-1513 Fighter climbing up to the road
1514-1520 Truck on fire after being strafed by Russian jets, on the road between Duba Yurt and Shatoi.
1532-1538 Close up
1553-1618 Truck with a homemade mounting for a 23mm anti-aircraft gun drives through the town of Shatoi.
1619-1629 Panning from ammo to the leader of the crew
1630-1641 Close up on ammunition
1642-1726 Leader of the crew explaining that they were the ones who shot down the Russian jet the day before
1727-1806 Crewmember demonstrating how the gun works
1835-1919 Leader of the crew explaining the events of the day before
1920-1936 Russian jet attracting fire from the truck-mounted anti-aircraft gun
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH PRESIDENT ASLAN MASKHADOV AND VICE-PRESIDENT VACHA ARSANOV
1937-2002 Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov with Vice-President Vacha Arsanov in the background, at an improvised press conference in Grozny less than two weeks after Russian forces have invaded Chechnya