DATE=6/28/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / CHECHNYA (L)
NUMBER=2-263841
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian military officials say a heavy battle
has been raging for days in southeastern Chechnya
between Russian troops and as many as 200 rebel
fighters. Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports
Russian officials say 12 Russian soldiers have died in
the battle, whereas Chechen rebels claim to have
killed more than 100 federal troops.
TEXT: Russian helicopters and artillery are providing
air support for ground troops engaged in a fierce
battle with Chechen rebels near Serzhen-Yurt, a town
that lies at the head of Chechnya's southern mountains
where rebel fighters are based.
Russian military officials say the battle is in its
third day, and has resulted in Russian casualties and
wounded. The military says fighting began on Monday
when Russian troops came to Serzhen-Yurt to carry out
document checks and instead encountered a rebel army
in the woods.
General Viktor Kazantsev, President Vladimir Putin's
representative for southern Russia, says the rebels
have been surrounded by Russian paratroopers and
special army forces.
/// Kazantsev Act in Russian in full and
fade under ///
"About 200 rebels are trapped and dozens have been
killed," he says. "Many of them are Arab mercenaries."
He goes on to say, "unfortunately, there have been
Russian casualties as well, but not as many as the
media, especially the foreign media, is reporting."
/// OPT /// Russian military officials say 12 federal
troops have died in the fighting, with approximately
80 rebels killed. But Chechen rebels claim to have
killed as many as 100 Russian soldiers in the past few
days of battle.
Officials in Moscow have denied media reports that
dozens of Russians have been killed in the fighting
near Serzhen-Yurt. Chechen rebels deny that they have
been encircled. /// END OPT ///
Casualty figures are impossible to confirm and both
sides traditionally exaggerate enemy losses.
Russia's Interior Minister, Vladimir Rushailo, played
down criticism that Russian troops were vulnerable to
deadly rebel counterattacks.
/// Rushailo Act in Russian in full and
fade under ///
"Of course there are faults, but we can correct them,"
he says. "Attacks against federal posts and troops
continue, but it is controllable."
/// Opt /// But in a rare admission of hardship for
Russian troops in Chechnya, a Russian soldier, Sergei
Dokshin, said Russian soldiers were losing control of
federally controlled territories, including the
Chechen capital, Grozny.
/// Dokshin Act in Russian in full and
fade under ///
He says, "of course this is my personal opinion -- but
I'd say that after 9:00 p.m. each night, Grozny is
controlled by rebel fighters." /// End Opt ///
The recent reports of fighting near Serzhen-Yurt come
just days after Russia's top commander in Chechnya
said the war was nearing its end and that massive and
air and artillery strikes would be scaled back.
(Signed)
NEB/EC/GE/ENE/JP
28-Jun-2000 10:18 AM EDT (28-Jun-2000 1418 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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