Russia: Beslan Massacre 2004 (7 Viewers)

[DeathHand]

The Russian Forces

"A security cordon was soon established around the school, consisting of the Russian police (militsiya) Internal Troops, and Russian Army forces; spetsnaz, including the elite Alfa and Vympel units of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB); and the OMON special units of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). A line of three apartment buildings facing the school gym was evacuated and taken over by the special forces. The perimeter they made was within 225 metres (738 ft) of the school, inside the range of the militants' grenade launchers.

No fire-fighting equipment was in position and, despite the previous experiences of the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis, there were few ambulances ready. The chaos was worsened by the presence of Ossetian volunteer militiamen (opolchentsy) and armed civilians among the crowds of relatives who had gathered at the scene; there were perhaps as many as 5,000 of them."

Set 1.

1. Soldiers and militia at front of school.

2. Special Forces dismount their armored vehicle.

3. Russian tanks on stand-by.

4.

 

[DeathHand]

The Russian Forces.

"A chaotic battle broke out as the special forces fought to enter the school. The forces included the assault groups of the FSB and the associated troops of the Russian Army and the Russian Interior Ministry, supported by a number of T-72 tanks from Russia's 58th Army (commandeered by Tikhonov from the military on 2 September), BTR-80 wheeled armoured personnel carriers and armed helicopters, including at least one Mi-24 attack helicopter.

Many local civilians also joined in the chaotic battle, having brought along their own weapons – at least one of the armed volunteers is known to have been killed. At the same time, regular conscripted soldiers reportedly fled the scene as the fighting began. Civilian witnesses claimed that the local police also had panicked, even firing in the wrong direction."

Set 2.

5. Squad of Russian soldiers, using their BTR as cover, with rescued captives.

6. Russian sniper.

7. Police, militia, Special Forces, etc...mass confusion.

8.

 

[DeathHand]

The Russian Forces.

"According to military prosecutor, a BTR armoured vehicle drove close to the school and opened fire from its 14.5x114mm KPV heavy machine gun at the windows on the second floor. Eye-witnesses and journalists saw two T-72 tanks advance on the school that afternoon, at least one of which fired its 125 mm main gun several times.

During the later trial, tank commander Viktor Kindeyev testified to having fired "one blank shot and six antipersonnel-high explosive shells" on orders from the FSB. The use of tanks and armoured personnel carriers was eventually admitted to by Lieutenant General Viktor Sobolev, commander of the 58th Army. Another witness cited in the Kesayev report claims that he had jumped onto the turret of a tank in an attempt to prevent it from firing on the school.

Scores of hostages were moved by the militants from the burning sports hall into the other parts of the school, in particular the cafeteria, where they were forced to stand at windows. Many of them were shot by troops outside as they were used as human shields, according to the survivors. Savelyev estimated that 106 to 110 hostages died after being moved to the cafeteria."

Set 3.

9. An injured Russian soldier returns to the fighting.

10. Russian soldiers taking cover beside their BTR.

11. Russian Special Forces take positions at the school.

12.

13.

 

[Rosie]

This bit has muddled me..........

Gymnasium Windows

This set shows a small girl, maybe 8-10 years old, who escaped through one of the gym windows.

Set 2.

3a. A boy watches as the girl (bottom right) hoists herself out the window frame.
View attachment 51259

3b. The boy looks out the window after the girl drops to the ground below. Adults can be seen in left portion.
View attachment 51260

3c. The boy is gone from the window. But the girl has landed safely.
View attachment 51261

3d. Closer version of the girl having landed on the ground. People are seen inside the gym.
View attachment 51262

3e. As the girl remains sitting on the ground, an adult female appears to have also jumped out the same window.
View attachment 51263

3f. The adult female is gone, people are still in the gym, and the little girl starts to stand up.
View attachment 51264

3g. The girl begins to walk away. Not known if she survived.
View attachment 51265

32. Before the fire: bodies can be seen on the gymnasium floor while an adult female and child lay dead outside.
View attachment 51223[/quote]

 

[rundown]

 

[DeathHand]

This bit has muddled me..........


32. Before the fire: bodies can be seen on the gymnasium floor while an adult female and child lay dead outside.
View attachment 51223

[/quote]
Hi Rosie,

Yes, that photo (if same one you are talking about) had thrown me off as well. At first I thought it was a photo of a dead adult and child. But then I saw the image of the woman standing and the child sitting. Then the child is getting up and the woman is gone.

I think that the people (adults and students) seen inside the gym are helping others that are injured or in shock. But then the roof collapsed and almost all that we see in the photos perished.

Or, if you meant the bodies: there are several bodies (dead) that can be seen lying or crumpled on the gym floor. My guess is that these people were shot dead by the captors as they left the gym, or prior, to take up other positions with the school.

Hope that kinda answers what had muddled you.

 

[DeathHand]

Dead Captors

Photos earlier in this thread show some of the captors dead inside the school. These photos are their mug shots as their bodies were brought outside. These are not all of the captors.

Set 1.

1.

2.

3.

4.

 

[DeathHand]

Dead Captors

Set 2.

5.

6.

7.

8.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

The Beslan school is difficult to picture in context. It had multiple wings and buildings and one side of a structure (ie: the smaller gymnasium) can be easily confused with the other side.

However, it seems that no one part of the school escaped the destruction, fire and bullet holes.

The next several sets will show photos from inside the school, outside the school and then later what the school looks like now.

Set 1.

1.

2.

3.

4.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

Set 2.

5. Looking more like a war zone.

6.

7.

8. The central courtyard/play ground.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

Set 3.

9. The abandoned school as it is today.

10.

11. The burned out gym.

12. Russian rocket tubes (disposable) found on the roof of a building behind the school.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

Set 4.

13. View of the school with the collapsed roof of the smaller gym.

14. General view of the school.

15. Remaining beams of the gym's roof.

16. A militant lies dead on a classroom floor.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

Set 5.

17.

18. Upper hallway pock marked with bullet holes.

19. School computer room: scarred by bullets.

20. Lower hallway.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

Set 6.

21. An upper classroom showing signs of graffiti.

22.

23.

24.

 

[DeathHand]

The School After

Set 7.

25.

26. Basketball net where the captors strung up their main bomb. Photo during a memorial.

27. Family and relatives gather for a memorial in the central courtyard.

28. The gym where so many perished. Rose petals and bouquets line the gym walls.

29. Empty - how the school looks today. This view is the central courtyard. The gym is to the left.

 

[Klungebob Hairpants]

DH, your threads are always pure quality. Fuckin awesome, man.

 

[DeathHand]

"Initially, at least 396 people, mostly hostages, were reportedly killed during the crisis. By 7 September 2004, Russian officials revised the death toll to 334, including 156 children, although close to 200 people remained missing or unidentified. It was claimed by the locals that over 200 of those killed were found with burns, and 100 or more of them were burned alive. The last reported fatality was 33-year-old librarian Yelena Avdonina, who succumbed to her wounds on 8 December 2006.

It is not known how many members of Russia's elite special forces died in the fighting, as official figures ranged from 11 through 12 and 16 (7 Alfa and 9 Vympel) to more than 20 killed. There are only 10 names on the special forces monument in Beslan. The fatalities included all three commanders of the assault group: Colonel Oleg Ilyin, Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Ratzumovsky of Vympel, and Major Alexander Petrov of Alfa. At least 30 commandos suffered serious wounds."

Short Video:

 

[Kalgacus]

 

[(M.G.T.)]

FUCK THE WAR WHERE EVER IT IS AND FUCK ANY FUCKEN ONE WHOS TRYING TO GET KIDS IN CONFLECTS...THOSE ARE M.FUCKERS WHAT EVER THEY ARE..

 

[(M.G.T.)]

ill die but not to watch amom crying on her kid , id wish to fucken die but not watching any kid from any where hurts , please every one leave the kids alone dont fucken stick the kids in ur fucken war , they have to live they have to play , they have to grow up , they have to feel safe, they have to have thier own kids in future, so why dont we stop killing their fathers and mothers and thier brothers , why dont we stop their nightmares , why dont we stop following politics, why dont we stop looking like animals, why dont we return to our natures as HUMENS?