Chechen Berets

When working in Chechnya in 1997, I managed to get hold of two berets of the Chechen fighters ("Boiviks"); a woolen green beret and a beautiful black velvet affair (that is now rapidly disintegrating).

Both carried the original badge of the Chechen wolf, a national symbol of the Chechens.

Later on, the Chechens abandoned by the West, other badges started appearing with stronger symbolism of Islamic affiliation. Pictured here Isa Munayev who was was killed while leading a Chechen volunteer unit on the Ukrainian side in the War in Donbass in 2015.

Below the famous picture of a boivik by photographer Romano Cagnoni.