Chechnya was once part of a Soviet republic called Chechen-Ingush. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Chechen-Ingush was divided into two internal republics, Chechnya in the east and Ingushetia in the west. Though the Chechens declared independence in 1992, Russia did not approve, and invaded Chechnya in 1994. The Russians crushed the rebellion, killing thousands of Chechens. However, the region is still in a state of unrest today.