Ruslan Khuchbarov

Ruslan Tagirovich Khuchbarov (1972-2004), also spelled Khochubarov, was an Ingush man presumed to be the Islamic militant nicknamed nicknamed "Polkovnik" (the Russian for Colonel) notorious for his leading role in the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis. It must be noted that Polkovnik's identity is disputed and it's possible he escaped the bloody end to the crisis. [http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7575 The Beslan school crisis and the Moscow theatre siege took place with the knowledge and possibly even the assistance of Russian authorities] July 2006]

Khuchbarov was an ethnic Ingush and native of the village of Galashki in the republic of Ingushetia near the border with Chechnya. His body was reportedly identified after he was killed during the storming of the school. Referred to by the hostage-takers as Ali, he had led the negotiations on behalf of the hostage takers. In the conversations, "Ali" claimed his wife and five children were killed by the Russian indiscriminate bombing of Chechnya."Dispatches: Beslan", Channel 4 documentary, 2005]

Russian sources initially reported "Polkovnik" to be Ali Taziyev, a former Ingush policeman-turned-rebel who was declared legally dead in 2000. [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2006/05/18/story259311.asp Beslan judge reads witness testimony on third day of trial] May 18, 2006] [ [http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=505415 The Investigation is Hitting it on the Head] "Kommersant", September 16, 2004] [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/may/22/russia.tomparfitt Beslan militant 'lived to kill again'] "The Guardian", May 26, 2006] However, this was later refuted by the Russian prosecutors. [ [http://www.peaceinthecaucasus.org/reports/Beslan.pdf Beslan: Russia’s 9/11?] ] Investigaters then alleged this was the same person as Akhmed Yevloyev, an Ingush rebel leader also said to be Ali Taziyev, but those reports were declared incorrect later: although he had similar features as Yevloyev, his facial profile was a lot different. In addition, Yevloyev turned out to be still alive. [ [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KHII-75F2HV?OpenDocument Chechnya - The week in brief: 16 - 22 July 2007] , ReliefWeb, July 19, 2007]

Shamil Basayev, who claimed organizing the Beslan attack, identified "Polkovnik" as "Col. Orstkhoyev" and not Khuchbarov. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3665136.stm Excerpts: Basayev claims Beslan] BBC News, 17 September, 2004] [http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7575 The 2002 Dubrovka and 2004 Beslan Hostage Crises: A Critique of Russian Counter-Terrorism] "Prospect Magazine", July 2006]

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