Helena Merriman

Horrific accounts of human rights abuses on both sides.

And it ends with a peace deal.

But the Chechens don't win their independence.

So there's this real sense of unfinished business on both sides.

That's why when the first two bombs explode, a lot of people in Russia immediately blame Chechen militants.

At that time, there was no evidence pointing to Chechen militants.

But then just a few days later, you have a third bomb.

This is on the 13th of September.

Over 100 people killed.

And it's at that point that the panic really sets in.

It's partly because almost everyone in Russia lives in these very tall, precarious, prefab apartment blocks.

And I think what makes these attacks so horrific is that most of them happen in the middle of the night, so when people are in their beds asleep.

And so you have people now sleeping on the streets at night to protect themselves.

And it's that night of the third bomb when Russia's new prime minister, it's their fifth in just 18 months because none of them last, speaks to the press.

And his name is Vladimir Putin.

A name, of course, we all know well.

But what's interesting about this moment then is that this is the first time most Russians have seen him talk.

You know, he's only been in the job a few weeks.

He's short.

He's got a forgettable face.