Landscape of Horror

摘要

Grozny has ceased to exist. In their enthusiasm to "liberate"—Moscow's politically correct term for what happened here—the Chechen capital, the Russian army and air force have flattened what was once a city of 500,000. The war of 1994-96 left Grozny badly scarred but still alive, with even a comfortable middle-class area near the center of town. Now all that is left is a horrible dreamscape of destroyed houses, mangled, mud-filled streets and the occasional dazed civilian wandering through the city in search of firewood or other basics. Even the trees have been shattered, beheaded by artillery blasts and scarred by small arms. And though the city is officially free of anti-Russian guerrillas, the sound of heavy artillery—pinpoint strikes, we are assured— and gunfire becomes increasingly frequent as twilight falls.