11:52, 25 May 2004

Extra military elements enter Chechnya

A military convoy with federal soldiers entered the Chechen Republic from the direction of Ingushetia on May 24. "At about 1 p.m., when I was passing the Kavkaz 1 post on the border between Chechnya and Ingushetia, a large military convoy went by us moving from the direction of the Ordzhonikidzevskaya village to Chechnya. I counted 20 Ural trucks with the emblem of interior troops. There were soldiers in the trucks," said Alkhazur, a 38-year-old resident of the Chechen village of Assinovskaya whose private business is to carry people. Some other witnesses confirmed this information. To all appearances, the Russian military started conducting an operation to move extra military elements to Chechnya pursuant to the decree recently singed by the Russian president on the necessity to move extra police forces of 1,125 people to the republic. The Chechen military commandant's office has refused to give any comments on the matter referring to the lack of instructions on the part of the chiefs.

Editors note: See also the article "Strength of Defense Ministry forces in Chechnya to remain unchanged".

Author: Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot