1/ 1st March marks the 26th anniversary of Russia's worst defeat in the Second Chechen War (1999-2009) – the Battle of Height 776, in which nearly an entire Russian paratrooper company was killed: 84 dead, with only 6 survivors. It's been commemorated today in Russia. ⬇️ 
2/ The battle took place in early 2000, after the fall of Grozny to Russian federal forces fighting Chechen separatists. Around 1,500 to 2,000 Chechen fighters were retreating through the Argun Gorge, led by commanders including Shamil Basayev and Ibn al-Khattab.
3/ A single company of the Russian 6th Airborne Company, 104th Guards Parachute Regiment (76th Guards Air Assault Division), commanded by Major Sergei Molodov, was tasked with blocking the escape route near Ulus-Kert at a hilltop designated Height 776.
4/ The lightly armed paratroopers arrived on 28th February and dug in hastily on an unprepared slope (using trees and terrain for cover), with limited time to fortify. The following day, a Russian reconnaissance patrol ran into a Chechen unit and had to retreat under fire.
5/ Molodov was fatally wounded in the clash, prompting Lt Col Mark Yevtyukhin to take over. The Chechen main force advanced en masse, surrounding the hill and attacking in waves with machine guns, sniper fire, RPGs, and close-quarters combat.
6/ The 6th Company paratroopers called in artillery from nearby Russian batteries and repelled repeated charges despite being hugely outnumbered. 1st, 3rd, and 4th Company elements attempted to relieve them, but were driven back.
7/ Fighting continued through the night into 1st March, with hand-to-hand fighting as ammo ran low. Survivors described desperate bayonet charges and using grenades at point-blank range.
8/ Finally, in the morning of 1st March, a massive Chechen assault overran the Russian position after 18–24 hours of near-continuous fighting. Yevtyukin's last act before being killed was to call in artillery on his own position. Only six of the 90 Russian soldiers survived.
9/ The battle was the worst Russian military defeat of the Second Chechen War, though to put it in perspective, the number of Russian fatalities was less than half the verified average number for every single day in Ukraine during February 2026.
10/ It was deeply embarassing for the Russian government, coming only a few weeks before Vladimir Putin was first elected president. The battle had begun just hours after Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev publicly declared the war to be "over."
11/ While the paratroopers had managed to delay the separatist breakout, it came at enormous cost and highlighted serious command failures such as poor reinforcement and artillery issues which were later repeated in Ukraine.
12/ The battle was deeply controversial at the time due to these perceived failures. Relief for the 6th Company was delayed or denied despite repeated requests. Nearby Russian units failed to reinforce or rescue the company in time.
13/ Most damaging of all, there were allegations – never resolved to this day – that Chechen commanders had bribed Russian officers to allow safe passage, and the paratroopers' position simply got in the way. An inquiry was opened, but was then quickly closed.
14/ The incoming Putin administration sought to play down the failures exposed by the battle's outcome. In Russian patriotic memory, it's framed as a heroic sacrifice rather than a defeat, with 22 Heroes of Russia medals awarded (mostly posthumously).
15/ The battle has become an iconic event for Russia's Airborne Forces (VDV). It's still commemorated on the anniversary each year, is featured in military education and patriotic programmes, and streets and schools have been named after individual soldiers.
16/ A large memorial has also been erected at the 104th Guards Parachute Regiment's home base in Pskov, where annual remembrance ceremonies are held annually, typically attended by military officials and families. /end
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