1997 Photo Contest, Spot News, 3rd prize
Photographer

James Nachtwey

Magnum Photos for Time

01 January, 1996

Citizens flee the Chechen capital, carrying a few possessions. During the second summer of the war between Chechen separatist and the Russian army, a large percentage of the remaining population fled Grozny. Peaceful coexistence within the Russian federation proved unattainable. After sustaining heavy losses at the hands of the highly motivated Chechen rebels, President Boris Yeltsin ordered his national security chief, Alexander Lebed, to extricate Russia from the civil war, which had already claimed over 30,000 casualties. In September 1996, a cease-fire was declared and the Russian army hastily departed amidst artillery and sniper fire.

About the photographer

James Nachtwey

Photographs of the Vietnam War and the American Civil Rights movement inspired him to become a photographer. While teaching himself photography, he worked as truck driver and as ...

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