MCRP 12-10B.1, page 356

close quarter combat. The Russians were ill-prepared for the level of mental health problems they encountered. Additionally, logistics units were often unable to provide fresh drinking water, which caused Russian troops to consume contaminated water that resulted in other health problems. f. Force Protection. (1) Operations took much longer than expected, and the cost in terms of casualties was much greater than anticipated. The Russians committed unprepared, poorly trained and poorly equipped forces to Chechnya, based on an unrealistic operational time frame. Ultimately, this cost the Russians significant casualties and the war. (2) Fratricide was a serious and continuing problem throughout the campaign. The situation facing Russian combat forces was ripe for fratricide. Poorly trained units, operating in a confused and uncertain urban environment, often unable to tell friend from foe, and lacking quality leadership and inter-unit coordination, were often as dangerous to themselves as they were to the Chechens . (3) Chechen use of adhoc air defense systems eliminated Russian air support, particularly helicopters, in Grozny. The Chechens were able to improvise effective anti-air defenses using a mixture of anti-air and ground (i.e., heavy machine guns, RPGs) weapons, and ambush tactics specifically adapted to the urban environment. (4) The Chechens made extensive and effective use of snipers. Snipers fired from well inside rooms versus near window openings, as well as, from rooftops and basements. The Russians lacked an effective sniper and counter-sniper capability of their own. (5) The Chechens improvised crude chemical weapons. The Chechens, lacking access to military chemical weapons, Used off-the-shelf materials and equipment to make chemical mines (i.e., chlorine gas), detonated remotely by radio. (6) The Chechens made extensive and effective use of boobytraps. It seemed that the Chechens mined and boobytrapped 7-8everything. They had a good understanding of the average Russian soldier's actions and reactions, and boobytrapped accordingly. Additionally, the Russians found it difficult to maintain boobytrap awareness among their troops. MCWP 3-35 .3 J-8