DATE=10/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / CHECHNYA, UPDATE (L)
NUMBER=2-255334
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A Russian rocket strike on Chechnya's capital,
Grozny, has left dozens dead and even more wounded,
according to eyewitness reports. Russia's Defense
Ministry would not immediately comment on the blasts.
Russian forces are moving closer to the capital and
are now as close as 12 kilometers to Grozny. V-O-A
Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports that although
Russian officials deny plans for a ground assault on
Grozny, they say they will continue to pound what they
describe as terrorist bases in Grozny and throughout
Chechnya.
TEXT: Eyewitness news reports say rockets slammed
into the center of the Chechen capital killing
civilians, including many women and children. Chechen
military leaders say the explosions occurred in
several areas in Grozny, including a downtown market
and near a Chechen presidential building.
Terrified residents are said to be trying to flee the
city.
Russian military officials say government troops are
closing in and around Chechnya's capital and plan to
seize territory surrounding the city. A leading
Russian general has said there will be no full-scale
attack on the city, but promised to "destroy"
terrorist bases inside Grozny.
During a short visit to the Caucasus, Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin said Moscow will not resolve the
question of Chechnya's independence by military means,
but clarified the Kremlin's immediate aims.
/// Putin Act in Russian in full and fade
under ///
"Our final goal is to liquidate terrorism for good,"
he says. "How and when we accomplish that will be
clear in the near future."
Chechen military leaders say despite Russian denials,
they expect federal troops to storm their capital.
For days they have been digging trenches, establishing
concrete defenses and preparing for what they say is
the impending attack. The militants are said to be on
24-hour guard.
When Russian forces tried to take Grozny during the
1994-1996 civil war, the campaign took months and
resulted in heavy casualties among both troops and
civilians. This time Russian troops are relying
mostly on air strikes and heavy artillery.
/// REST OPT ///
Russian military officials say most of the troops in
Chechnya are highly trained units, but news reports
from the region say many of the soldiers are
inexperienced and ill-equipped draftees. Chechen
militants have a reputation as highly trained, veteran
guerilla fighters.
Russian defense officials say federal losses are in
the low hundreds, with rebel losses estimated at
around three thousand. But those figures are
difficult to confirm and both sides tend to inflate
the number of enemy casualties.(Signed)
NEB/EC/GE/JP
21-Oct-1999 14:32 PM EDT (21-Oct-1999 1832 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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