Dzhokar Dudayev was a soviet air force general and a Chechen leader, the first (separatist) president of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, an unrecognized breakaway state in the Caucasus. Dudayev learned Estonian during his time stationed there, and showed great tolerance for Estonian nationalism when he ignored Soviet orders to shut down the Estonian television and parliament. In November 1990 he was elected head of the Executive Committee of the unofficial opposition, of a free Chechnya.