As many as twenty armed Chechens seized a school in southern Russia. There were several hundred people in the school, and as many as nine were killed during the operation. The Chechens demanded that Russia get out of Chechnya.  There are dozens of different armed factions in Chechenya, but most of them back a pro-Russian government. However, those that want the Russians out are willing to die for their cause and have been using terrorism more of late. This is because the fighting in Chechnya itself has gone against the separatist groups. Terror won't work either. The Russians have never given in to terrorists, and do not seem inclined to do so this time around.