"March 2014."

Format not distributed to depository libraries.

History of warfare and counterinsurgency along Russia's Caucasus borderlands. Russia's use of overwhelming force -- After World War I. Stalin cracks down -- Collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the First Chechen War (late-1980s to 1994). The First Chechen War (1994-1996) -- The Chechen tactics -- Aslan Maskhadov and the interwar period. Russia in the aftermath of the First Chechen War -- The interwar period in the North Caucasus (1996-99) -- Failures on both sides -- The Second Chechnyan War. Information warfare aspect of the conflict -- Growth of terrorist activity and radicalism in the Northern Caucasus since the Second Chechen War. The second terror campaign -- Russian counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in the 21st century -- Russian counterterrorist and counterinsurgency responses and strategies since 2000. International criticism of Russia and the Kadyrov government -- Effect of northern Caucasus on broader Russian, American, and global security. The long-term rise in radicalism -- Outlook and recommendations -- U.S. security interests and the North Caucasus challenges -- Conclusion.

The North Caucasus region has been a source of instability for the past several centuries. Most recently, Chechen aspirations to achieve full independence after the break-up of the Soviet Union led to two disastrous wars. While the active phase of the Chechen conflict ended in 2000 -- more than a decade ago -- the underlying social, economic, and political issues of the region remain. A low-level insurgency continues to persist in the North Caucasus region, with occasional terrorist attacks in the Russian heartland. There are few reasons to expect any substantial improvement in the situation for years to come. Chechnya functions as a de facto independent entity; Islamist influence in Dagestan is growing, terror attacks continue, and the rest of the North Caucasus requires massive presence of Russian security services to keep the situation under control. Preventing the North Caucasus from slipping back into greater instability requires tackling corruption, cronyism, discrimination, and unemployment -- something the Kremlin has so far not been very willing to do. "Small wars" in the Caucasus resonated as far away as Boston, MA, and more international attention and cooperation is necessary to prevent the region from blowing up.