In 1991, Dzhokhar Dudaev declared Chechnya’s independence from Russia, which caused further bloody wars in this republic. Initially, among his supporters was a young ambitious Bislan Gantamirov. However, then he changed his views and devoted the next ten years of his life to the struggle against separatists, participating in hostilities and holding various posts in the government of the republic.
The beginning of a political career and an alliance with Dudaev
Biography of Bislan Gantamirov initially did not differ from the biographies of thousands of Chechens of the same kind. He was born in the village of Gakhi, Urus-Martan district in 1963. After graduating from an eight-year school, he studied at the Rostov Road College, received a correspondence legal education.
After completing military service Bislan Gantamirov decided to connect his life with security forces. Returning to his homeland, he worked for several years at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chechen-Ingush Republic. However, with the beginning of perestroika, Bislan Gantamirov realized that, in modern realities, much more promising prospects in life were promised by now permitted entrepreneurial activity.
In 1990, the political career of an energetic cooperator began. He founded and headed the Islamic Way party, and became a member of the executive committee of the so-called National Congress of the Chechen People.
The nationalist sentiment of those years did not pass over the former policeman. He actively participated in the autumn events of 1991, which led to the actual separation of Chechnya from the Russian Federation. Being one of the associates of the rebellious general Dudayev, Gantamirov received the post of mayor of Grozny, and in 1992 he was elected to the post of head of the city assembly.
Break with Dudaev
Idyllic relations with the first president of "independent Ichkeria" did not last long. In 1993, a breakdown in relations between Gantamirov and Dudaev. The republic embraced by fire was rich in oil fields, the size of illegal trade reached enormous amounts.
According to rumors, the conflict between the two strong figures arose precisely because of the division of income from the export of “black gold”.
Be that as it may, after the dispersal of the city assembly and the storming of the Grozny police department, Bislan returned to his native Urus-Martan, where he gathered around himself loyal comrades-in-arms, ready to fight Dudaev with weapons in their hands.
Participation in the first war
In 1994, he became a member of the Provisional Council of Chechnya, uniting the opponents of the President of Ichkeria and began to actively cooperate with the federal authorities.
The intractable politician entered the government of Salambek Hadzhiev, on which Moscow was bet.
However, the bloody massacre that the Chechen military operation of the Russian army turned into could not add authority to Bislan Gantamirov in the eyes of other Chechens. The competent ideological work of the separatists, their active cooperation with representatives of the media - all this led to the demonization of the Russian armed forces. The terrible assault of Grozny, which cost both sides huge losses, added fuel to the fire.
After the ruins of the capital of Chechnya passed into the jurisdiction of the federal center, Gantamirov again headed the city assembly, however, he practically lost his authority and influence among the residents. Soon the Khasavyurt agreements were signed, according to which the Russian Federation practically surrendered to the separatists.
Prisoner of the Caucasus
Gantamirov’s peculiarity was that he could not get along with any ally. In 1993, he left Dudaev, and in 1995 again threatened his relations with the federals. Unexpectedly for Moscow, their ally in the fight against Dudaev sharply criticized the actions of the Russian armed forces. Bislan Gantamirov accused the military of killing civilians, attacks on “neutral” villages, and tough sweeps.
He was deprived of his post in the Territorial Administration of Chechnya, after a conflict with Prime Minister Nikolai Koshman, he resigned from the post of Deputy Prime Minister.
Finally, in 1996, after the end of hostilities, Bislan Gantamirov, whose photo appeared in all the newspapers, was arrested and charged with embezzlement of more than 20 billion rubles allocated for the restoration of the destroyed objects of Chechnya. He spent three years in a pre-trial detention center, after which a trial took place, as a result of which he was sentenced to six years in prison.
However, in 1999, a second Chechen campaign was planned, and an opposition Chechen politician was needed by the federal center. Due to the fact that Gantamirov spent more than half his term in prison, he was pardoned by presidential decree and released.
Second war and work in the Chechen government
The unfriendly ally of the federal government took an active part in the second Chechen war. He led pro-Russian militias, and later took an active part in the formation of the Chechen police. Together with the federal forces, Gantamirov stormed Grozny in 1999-2000, after which he became deputy representative of the Russian government in Chechnya.
Once again, the obstinate opposition was unable to get along with his superiors.
He made loud statements, was trying to resign, however, in order to calm the difficult ally, he was awarded the rank of lieutenant colonel.
After the appointment of Akhmat Kadyrov as head of Chechnya, Bislan Gantamirov also received a post in the leadership of the republic. He oversaw the power structures, acted as mayor of the capital. In 2002, the politician became the Minister of Press and Media of the Republic.
However, relations between Bislan Gantamirov and Kadyrov were far from ideal. Sometimes it came to armed clashes between police and supporters of the head of Chechnya, the house of a native of Urus-Martan was attacked.
Gantamirov’s political career ended in 2003. Unexpectedly for everyone, he announced support for Dzhabrailov in the struggle for the post of president of Chechnya. This did not remain forgotten, and the obstinate Bislan was fired.
