Chechen MIA switches over to reinforced service mode

Power agencies and units of Chechnya have been switched over to reinforced service regime for the period of celebrations of the Homeland Defender Day, 66th anniversary of Stalinist deportation and Birthday of Prophet Muhammad to be held on February 23-26.

"The celebrations of the Prophet Birthday will be attended by plenty of visitors from other regions of Russia; therefore, the law enforcement bodies of the republic will be in special regime of their service," the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Chechnya has announced.

"As a whole, the situation in the republic is calm and controlled, while introduction of special security measures for the period of celebration events is usual practice, used not only here, but in other regions too," said the source.

Residents of the republic already feel the first signs of "strengthening": in the evening on February 21, mobile militia posts appeared in the key highways of the republic and on the roads leading to Grozny; road policemen selectively stopped cars and checked driver's documents.

As a rule, in Grozny, when broad-scale actions are held with masses of people, main highways running to the city are blocked, together with the streets adjacent to the premises, where celebrations are held. It causes serious discontent of the population.