Our special correspondent in Georgia conducted an interview with Alla Dudaeva, widow of Dzhoxar Dudaev on the 15th anniversary of her husband’s death.

Here is the interview:

Waynakh Online: It is the fifteenth anniversary of Dzhoxar’s death. What do you miss most in his absence?

Alla Dudaeva: I miss Dzhoxar; his humor, his sincere eyes, his cheerful voice and his confidence in our victory. And I not only miss him , but when I meet with people who knew him, they all say the same thing: “If Dzhoxar were with us now, everything would be different.”

Waynakh Online: Can you describe Dzhoxar for us?

Alla Dudaeva: I want to answer this question more extensively and give examples from the Muslim book, which was brought to me when I was living with my children in İstanbul: “During the most severe tests and destructive war, Allah sends an envoy to every nation that embodies the best features of this nation, who has unparalleled courage, military talent and ability to win by uniting the people, for fighting with the invaders… But, in the beginning not everyone will understand this messenger, there are even some people who will be laughing, not realizing his words. But, these words them will receive by Almighty… And only after some time, when the words will start coming true, people will remember him…”

At the beginning of the first Russian-Chechen war, Ichkeria was in a triple ring blockade: rail, air, and land, plus it was surrounded by tank columns. Speaking to the Chechen people, Dzhoxar was always, smart and confident and said: “The Russian tanks will be burning like matchboxes!” Nobody believed him, they thought that he was just raising the morale of those who were desperate because the iron cannot burn! But the tanks really were burning and everyone saw it… It was like a miracle! The whole world was convinced that the vast Russian empire, was “Colossus on clay feet.” Dzhoxar was winning the world with nobility and everyone was trying to be like him. Sacrificing themselves, the Chechens were saving hostages in the village of Pervomayskoye, although the Russian government announced their execution and destroyed them with bombs and mortar fire. On the order of Dzhoxar, the Chechen fighters guarded the Russian and foreign journalists and because of it Ichkeria won the information war. Dzhoxar was transferring the first captured Russian soldiers to State Duma deputies, only for the reason that they could come to Ichkeria and personally make sure that they knew everything that was being claimed by the Russian media was a giant lie! And next, he offered only an equal exchange and not one of the prisoners was sold ! Dzhoxar knew his people very well and was sure of his victory. He was saying that the resistance will be enough at even 30 percent, and the war will continue for many years and will be spread all over the Caucasus. And it has come true…. Dzhoxar was saying: “Through handouts and small concessions, tactically, Russia loses to the West, but strategically, the West still does not know what a headache it acquires…” And we see that due to the desire of Russia to take control of the Caucasian energy resources, for which it can use any means of violence, despite the indignation from Europe and the U.S., armed conflict in the Caucasus region is growing into an international problem, involving in it the world powers and military blocs. A “winged” expression of Dzhoxar, “Slaves who aren’t trying to escape from their shackles are worthy of double slavery!”

Waynakh Online: As we know, you are preparing one of the leading programs on Georgia’s Russian language television channel “PIK TV”. How is it going?

Alla Dudaeva: I don’t want to talk a lot about myself. Everyone can see my work on cable and satellite television or on the internet on the First Information channel. The broadcast is called “Caucasian Portrait” and it receives good reviews.

Waynakh Online: Recently there were some rumors about your younger son. What do you think about this issue?

Alla Dudaeva: It was an attempt to discredit the name of my youngest son through the Russian media. Although his crime was that he was trying to help seven Chechen refugees, among whom some were children, get fake passports to cross the borders into Europe. But who forced these people to leave their homes and become refugees? And why do Caucasians run not only from the Caucasus, but also Russians from Russia itself now? This time was predicted: “And people leave their cruel rulers from their nations…”

Waynakh Online: What do you think about the current situation in the Caucasus and how do you see the future of Ichkeria?

Alla Dudaeva: Unfortunately, the history of mankind isn’t moving as quickly as we would like. Only after passing through the collapse of all hope, a thousand times robbed and cheated, destroyed by their rulers, the Russian people finally have woken up, begun to see clearly and realize who their real enemy is! “FSB Blows Up Russia”, Alexander Litvinenko wrote before his death and the Russian people believed him. And now it will not convinced by any statements of Dokka Umarov about blasts in the metropolitan or at the airport. Even if all it was, somewhere was the FSB’s trail also. Looking for the person to whom it is profitable! All Russia has become “dissident” and live in it, now it’s more dangerous than in Ichkeria. When it is released, the Caucasus will be free too. This time is not far away. The Chechen people have shown how to love and how to die for freedom! Our sacrifice, voluntarily put on its altar was not in vain!

*The interview was translated by Iman Vainakh for Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco