Whether intended or not, Russia is using the same tactics to suppress Chechen rebels that it's been using for the last 150 years. That is, turn the army loose and ignore the brutal methods used to kill the rebels and terrorize those civilians that give aid to the rebels. There are more elegant ways to deal with such civil disorder, but the Russian armed forces aren't up to it. That, however, is providing Russian military reformers with a lot of ammunition for needed reforms (ending conscription, better selection and training of NCOs and officers, better training.)