Insurgency Success Factors and Rebel Legitimacy
economic and infrastructure damage. By the end, civilian and soldier casualties nearly doubled,
as did displacement, and destruction of property. The Russian military had effectively destroyed
what was left of Grozny's infrastructure and Chechen oil refineries, incapacitating independent
economic productivity in Chechnya³
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Fearon (2000) argues that insurgency's main goal is survival, that military action is the
staunchest way to secure this goal, and that when in survival mode this goal will come before all
else, including protection of civilians and provision of services. From 2000 to 2007, the Chechen
insurgency appears very much to be in survival mode. The insurgency not only failed to provide
services to Chechen populations, but appears to have ceased trying to provide them. The bulk of
the insurgency's resources after 2000 consisted of weapons procurement, mainly through
extremist networks304, further delegitimating perceptions of the insurgency to actively create and
manage a political system. The lack of rebel focus and ability to provide basic services to civilian
populations and establish control of governance further reduced rebel legitimacy amongst
civilians. The group's failure to support civilian protection, livelihoods, and interests discouraged
civilian support to the rebellion.
By 2002, Russian forces had re-gained control of military bases and government
administration buildings in Chechnya 305. Control of these buildings reinstated Russian control of
Chechen political space. Without formal structures, the insurgency found itself removed from the
means through which to provide programs, services, or goods to the Chechen population ³06.
Russia's insertion of Kadyrov to power further reduced the power and control of the rebellion in
official political space. Kadyrov allowed Russia to funnel financial, economic, and infrastructure
support to Chechnya, while maintaining control of political affairs 307. The insertion of Kadyrov
challenged de facto legitimacy, as he presented an alternate option for domestic and external
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