DATE=1/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / CHECHNYA (L)
NUMBER=2-257924
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russia's military says a temporary pause in
the Chechnya offensive is over. V-O-A Moscow
correspondent Eve Conant reports Russian forces are
fighting to keep control of two key Chechen towns
after a series of rebel counterattacks resulted in the
highest reported Russian casualties since the start of
the campaign in September.
TEXT: Russia's Defense Minister, Igor Sergeyev, has
vowed to resume the Chechnya offensive after a
temporary lull in air attacks over the past few days.
During the pause, Chechen rebels staged successful
counterattacks in several towns already under federal
control. Russian news agencies quoted military
officials as saying more than two dozen Russian
soldiers were killed, and several dozen wounded during
the counterattacks beginning Sunday. Those figures are
the highest reported casualty rate during any 24-hour
period since the offensive began. Russia's military
usually reports no more than one or two federal
casualties per day.
General Viktor Kazantsev says Russian troops repelled
several hundred Chechen rebels who staged a surprise
offensive on the town of Argun, located just to the
east of Grozny.
///ACT KAZANTSEV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
He says, "Chechen fighters took advantage of the
decision to ease the campaign and attacked the towns
of Shali and Argun. But federal troops are now in
control of the region." He says, "From now on we will
not trust their promises. There will be no mercy for
them."
But Russian news agencies quote military sources as
saying rebels were still fighting with federal troops
in both Shali and Argun and that defense and interior
ministry reinforcements were being sent to defend the
region.
///OPT/// General Kazantsev says he expects the
military campaign to end in two months. He did not
mention the situation in the federally-controlled town
of Gudermes, which also suffered a rebel offensive.
///END OPT///
General Kazantsev says new measures will be taken
throughout the republic to prevent further rebel
counterattacks.
///SECOND ACT KAZANTSEV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE
UNDER///
He says, "All civilian movement will only take place
in the daytime - troops will set up a nighttime
curfew. Soldiers will only treat women, children and
the elderly as refugees," he says. "Everyone else will
be arrested and dealt with separately."
Russia's military reported high rebel casualties in
Grozny as helicopter gunships pounded targets in a
northwestern district of the rebel capital. Federal
forces are also striking targets around the village of
Vedeno and the Argun gorge in Chechnya's southern
mountains, which Russian forces are attempting to
occupy. (Signed)
NEB/EC/GE/LTD/JO
10-Jan-2000 09:48 AM EDT (10-Jan-2000 1448 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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