Oh I didn't know that Balabanov was the same person who made the "Brat" films. But that makes sense. Ivan from Vojna and the Danil character from Brat have a lot in common. This is definitely a guys film.

Chechnya is too complicated for me to have a view on; and I don't know much about the background or the war there...

As I understand it, the current regime there is pro-Russia, but also very muslim, and in favour of muslim law... which is more or less accepted by Moscow, in return for keeping law and order there. Plus, a few people in Chechnya don't accept the existing regime and continue to use terrorism to fight.

I guess everyone who is not a muslim left there a long time ago?