Vladimir Voronov is a contributor to RFE/RL's Russian Service.
On New Year's Eve in 1994, just over two weeks after Moscow began its first war against separatists in Russia's southern republic of Chechnya, Russian federal forces launched their first major assault on the capital, Grozny. Instead of ringing in the new year, Grozny residents cowered under shelling and bombing.
After years of delay and enormous cost overruns, Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome is expected to host its first test launch in the next few weeks. However, that doesn't mean smooth sailing for the troubled project.
