National Independence Party Chechnya

The National Independence Party (PNN) was a political party in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, established on 27 May 1993 by the Congress of Entrepreneurs of Chechnya. Led by Ruslan Kutayev, an entrepreneur and human rights activist, the party initially opposed the government of President Dzhokhar Dudayev, accusing him of corruption. It supported traditional Chechen values, a streamlined government, and a mixed economy. In 1993–1994, the party organized protests against Dudayev's policies, leading to a crackdown by Chechen authorities. Following the outbreak of the First Chechen War in 1994, the PNN was briefly disbanded before being re-established in 1995. It then became one of Dudayev's strongest supporters, aligning with his pro-independence stance during the conflict. The party gained significant political momentum after the 1996 Khasavyurt Accord, which ended the war. In the 1997 Chechen presidential election, the PNN-backed ticket led by Prime Minister Aslan Maskhadov and field commander Vakha Arsanov won a landslide victory, securing between 59.3% and 64.8% of the vote. The party also performed strongly in the parliamentary elections held the same day, winning either 20 seats or 65% of the total, according to different sources. Despite its electoral success, internal tensions within the PNN grew as Maskhadov and Arsanov struggled for control. These conflicts escalated into open opposition between pro-Dudayev forces and Islamist groups, culminating in the establishment of a rival government by Islamist field commanders by February 1999. During the Second Chechen War, key PNN leaders, including Maskhadov, Arsanov, and Speaker Ruslan Alikhadzhiyev, were killed. Kutayev ...