[2] One tape created in September 1999 showed six Russian servicemen, one as young as 19, being executed by Chechen and Dagestani militants.

On 7 August 1999, Chechen militants leading the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade Shamil Basayev, Ibn al-Khattab, Ramzan Akhmadov and Arbi Barayev, invaded the neighboring Russian republic of Dagestan in support of the Shura of Dagestan separatist rebels.

Several battles ensued following a border clash with Bagautdin Kebedov, and on 10 August, they announced the birth of the "independent Islamic State of Dagestan" and declared war on "the traitorous Dagestani government" and "Russia's occupation units".

[3][4][5] On 5 September 1999, two units of Chechen militants crossed into Dagestan, seizing the border village of Tukhchar, Novolaksky District.

[7] Attacking very early in the morning, the Chechens found and exchanged fire with 12 Russian conscripts and one officer of the Kalachevsky brigade stationed at a police checkpoint to strengthen border security.

During a lull in the battle, local residents told Russian soldiers that the Chechens had given them half an hour to leave the village.

The Chechen militants called for the Russians to surrender, claiming that their intent was to obtain leverage for a prisoner exchange.

The morning following the executions, village head Magomed-Sultan Khasanov sought and received permission from the Chechen militants to retrieve the bodies of the Russian soldiers.

[7] In 2000, the film showing the killings was discovered by Russia's security service on sale in Grozny,[2] which sparked an investigation into this as a war crime.

Khasaev was brought back to Dagestan from a jail in central Russia to face charges for the death of Alexey Lipatov.

In his defense, he claimed that he did not strike the killing blow since the sight of blood made him feel ill at ease, and he handed the knife to another fighter.

Nevertheless, the court found his previous admission of guilt valid because it was made in the presence of a lawyer and no complaints were filed at the time.