Ruslan Khuchbarov

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Ruslan Tagirovich Khuchbarov (1972-2004), also spelled Khochubarov, was an Ingush man presumed to be the Islamic militant nicknamed nicknamed "Polkovnik" (the Russian for Colonel) notorious for his leading role in the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis. It must be noted that Polkovnik's identity is disputed and it's possible he escaped the bloody end to the crisis.^[1]

Khuchbarov was an ethnic Ingush and native of the Galashki in Ingushetia near the border with Chechnya. His body was reportedly identified after he was killed during the storming of the school. Referred to by the hostage-takers as Ali, he had led the negotiations on behalf of the hostage takers. In the conversations, "Ali" claimed his wife and five children were killed by the Russian indiscriminate bombing of Chechnya.^[2]

Shamil Basayev identified "Polkovnik" as "Col. Orstkhoyev" and not Khuchbarov.^[3][4] Russian sources initially reported "Polkovnik" to be Ali Taziyev, a former Ingush policeman-turned-rebel who was declared legally dead in 2000.^[5][6][7] However, this was later refuted by the Russian prosecutors.^[8] Investigaters then alleged this was the same person as Akhmed Yevloyev, an Ingush rebel leader also said to be Ali Taziyev, but those reports were declared incorrect later: although he had similar features as Yevloyev, his facial profile was a lot different. In addition, Yevloyev turned out to be still alive.^[9]

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