Support for this view is offered by one of Aslan Maskhadov’s last interviews, which he gave shortly before his death. A videocassette with the interview in the Chechen language was supplied to a number of non-state organisations.

In the interview, Maskhadov talks about forthcoming talks with Russia on peace. He also named countries which would act as intermediaries in the forthcoming political dialogue between him and Russia. According to Maskhadov, these intermediaries were to be the foreign ministries of Germany and Switzerland. Also, representatives of the OSCE would be included. These offers were transferred to Aslan Maskhadov via his special representative Umar Khambiev.

Aslan Maskhadov spoke about peace talks with the Russian side as already having been decided upon. Furthermore he emphasized that the initiative had come from the Russian side, and several times called the commanders of Chechen resistance forces to observe his call for a unilateral one-month ceasefire as proof of their good will and readiness to enter into a dialogue with the Russians.

Besides this, there are numerous facts indicating that Aslan Maskhadov was not killed in the village of Tolstoy-Yurt, as claimed by the Russian authorities, but in a totally different place. In addition, the house where Maskhadov had apparently been found in this Chechen village has since been flattened. There are many versions as to how he died, including his being killed in a cellar by hand grenades being thrown into it, or finding death at the hands of his own bodyguards. Other suspect facts include the Russian authorities’ refusal to return Aslan Maskhadov’s body to his relatives for burial.

Furthermore, there is evidence that the operation against Maskhadov was not entrusted to any of the various forces stationed in Chechnya, but to a special unit withdrawn immediately on completion of their “mission”.

The Russian leadership announced the death of Aslan as one of the Russian special services’ “best achievements”, although his death, more likely than not, will lead to even greater bitterness between the two opposing sides, with ever more violence and terror. However, the overwhelming majority of the Chechen population, which elected Aslan Maskhadov its president in 1997, regards his elimination as not only a human, but a national tragedy as well. Only the fear of punitive measures keeps people from displaying open indignation at what has happened.

A question remains unanswered: was the operation to eliminate the president of Chechnya, Aslan Maskhadov, undertaken with the agreement of the European powers? What was the extent of their involvement in the murder of Maskhadov? In particular those who only shortly before Maskhadov’s death offered their services as guarantors and intermediaries between Aslan Maskhadov and the Russian authorities.