On December 11, 1994, Russian troops invaded Chechnya to suppress a rebel Chechen government led by Dzhokhar Dudayev.

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Most readers will recall that for many years, we’ve encouraged the support of the BaanSuFan Christian orphanage and school, in Thailand. Their mission is to help the large population of Hmong and Mien minority tribe members who were forced out of the war-torn Burma (Myanmar), Laos, and Vietnam into Thailand. The BaanSuFan school recently expanded their dormitories to be able to house more students, and needs donations to help cover the cost of beds and other furniture.  Please help, if you can. Their PayPal donation option has been updated, and should now be working.

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SurvivalRealty.com is running a special promotion: The book Survival Retreats & Relocation (co-authored by Jonathan Rawles and James Wesley, Rawles is on sale for $29, with free shipping! (It is normally priced at $34.) Get your guide to establishing a secure and sustainable home in time for Christmas.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.