sent 5,000 troops into Grozny and retook it. Since Russia was unwilling to destroy the city, they had no choice but to let the rebels have it and agree to a ceasefire (Johnson, 2000: Infoplease.com "Timeline of Key Events in Chechnya"). Yeltsin was humiliated and ordered Russian troops to withdraw from Chechnya. Chechnya still refused to recognize Moscow's authority and in 1997 elected a new president (Johnson, 2000: Infoplease.com "Timeline of Key Events in Chechnya"). The new president was Aslan Maskhadhov. The Chechens also changed the name of their capitol from Russian Grozny to Islamic Djohar (Johnson, 2000: Infoplease.com "Timeline of Key Events in Chechnya"). The rebels had victories in 1996 and 1997, but the tables would soon turn.
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