Battle of Grozny (1994–1995)

BelligerentsRussiaChechen Republic of Ichkeria
UNA-UNSOCommanders and leadersStrength 15,000 or 40,000–60,000 1,000+ (2,500 according to one estimate)
Per Russian Military:
12,000 fightersCasualties and lossesWestern estimate: 5,000+ soldiers killed
Per Russia:
1,834 soldiers killed
4,670 wounded
96 captured (official figure)
62 tanks destroyed
163 other armored vehicles destroyed

Western estimate: low thousands killed (overall Grozny fighting period)
Chechen sources: several hundred killed in the initial defence of Grozny (wartime claims)

Russian claim: 6,000+ killed (overall Chechen losses in Grozny/early campaign period) >25,000+ civilians killed, including 5,000 children (estimated)

The First Battle of Grozny was the Russian Army's invasion and subsequent conquest of the Chechen capital, Grozny, during the early months of the First Chechen War. The attack would last from December 1994 to March 1995, which resulted in the military occupation of the city by the Russian Army and rallied most of the Chechen nation around the government of Dzhokhar Dudayev.

The initial assault resulted in considerable Russian casualties and demoralization in the Russian forces. It took another two months of heavy fighting, and a change in tactics, before the Russian Army was able to capture Grozny. The battle caused enormous destruction and casualties amongst the civilian population and saw the heaviest bombing campaign in Europe since the end of World War II.