on several occasions, Aushev protested incursions by Russian soldiers, and even threatened to sue the Russian Ministry of Defence for damages inflicted. President Aushev said that his people could not forget how the same Russian armored columns "and the same Defense Minister" (Pavel Grachev) assisted in the destruction of Ingush settlements and the expulsion of Ingush population during the 1992 ethnic conflict in North Ossetia. He resigned in December 2001 and on 23 May 2002, Murat Zyazikov was elected president of Ingushetia under controversial circumstances. Since then the republic has become more violent. Then Aushev was elected to the Federation Council of Russia, the upper house of the Russian Parliament in December 1993, a position he resigned from is April 2003. Aushev served as a negotiator on the second day of the Beslan school hostage crisis, convincing the hostage-takers to release 26 nursing women and their infants. On 30 September 2008, Aushev commented, in his interview to Echo of Moscow radio station, on the increasingly tense situation in Ingushetia, accusing the current authorities of excessive use of force in the republic, leading to the radicalization of the society and threatening to plunge Ingushetia into civil war. The opposition news website Ingushetia.org reported that the Ingush president Murat Zyazikov ordered the republic’s television and radio broadcasting center to block Echo of Moscow's signal for the duration of Aushev's appearance. Personal life Aushev is married to Aza Ausheva, and has two sons, Ali and Umar, and two daughters, Leila and Lema. Ruslan also had a brother who is unidentified (classified). Honours and awards Hero of the Soviet Union Order of Lenin Two Orders of the Red Star Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 3rd class Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" 1st class Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" Medals "For Impeccable Service" 2nd and 3rd classes See also War Veterans Committee Warriors-Internationalists Affairs Committee References External links The first president of Ingushetia Ruslan Aushev's website. Biography Ruslan Aushev: Russia's Champion At Getting Out The Vote by Laura Belin, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Computer translation of the Aushev's bio at grankin.ru. Three Days in September (2006). Directed by Joe Halderman, narrated by Julia Roberts. Full Credits 1954 births Living people People from North Kazakhstan Region Ingush people Heads of