Is a use of force appropriate? Clashing memories of the Budennovsk hostage crisis (1995)

ABSTRACT The hostage-taking by Chechen combatants in the Russian town of Budennovsk (1995) marked a turning point in the first Chechnya War (1994–96) and has left deep marks on the consciousness of Russians and Chechens representatives and civil society. It is referred to in Russian accounts as the first large-scale terrorist attack by Chechen groups in Russia. Based on today’s memories of “Budennovsk”, collected from open source materials, this article deconstructs and contextualises the conflicting narratives of the key actors involved. The analysis of the memories reveals the clashing attitudes regarding the legitimacy or condemnation of the use of force, and evaluates their significance in the political context of contemporary Russia. In a next step, this should allow to draw conclusions about the conceptual connection between memory, narrative and conflict.