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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


July 2003 Russia Special Weapons News



  • Putin Says Russia Won't Test Nukes If Other States Don't RFE/L 31 Jul 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia will continue refraining from nuclear tests, but on the condition that other countries don't conduct them.
  • Russia: Five Soldiers Killed In Ingushetia RFE/L 30 Jul 2003 -- The prosecutor of the Sunzhenskii region in Ingushetia said today that five Russian soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive.
  • Russia: Kremlin Hands Control Of Chechnya Campaign To Police Force RFE/L 29 Jul 2003 -- Russia has removed control of the Chechen military campaign from the security services and handed it to the police.
  • Russia: Army Officer Found Guilty Of Murder Of Chechen Woman RFE/L 25 Jul 2003 -- Russian Colonel Yurii Budanov today was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering a Chechen woman and sentenced to 10 years in a maximum security prison.
  • RUSSIA / CHECHNYA TRIAL VOA 25 Jul 2003-- A military court in southern Russia has sentenced an army officer to ten years in prison for murdering a Chechen woman
  • Energy's Abraham Acts on Non-proliferation Projects in Russia Washington File 23 Jul 2003 -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham has acted to ensure that U.S. non-proliferation projects in Russia continue uninterrupted if the 1998 Nuclear Cities Initiative (NCI) agreement is not renewed before it expires in September.
  • Abraham on Meeting the New Century's Nuclear Challenges Washington File 21 Jul 2003 -- The United States took another step toward eliminating the last vestiges of Cold War nuclear weapons production in May when the Department of Energy awarded contracts for construction of fossil fuel power plants to replace three Russian nuclear reactors.
  • Russia: Official Says Rights Groups Should Be Investigated For Ties To Chechen Rebels RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- A top Russian official said today that there should be investigations into some local and international human rights organizations that protest the war in Chechnya.
  • Chechnya: Russian Soldiers, Chechen Fighters Die In Fighting RFE/L 21 Jul 2003 -- Six Russian soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in an overnight clash with separatist fighters in southwestern Chechnya.
  • Georgia: President Calls On Russia To Cut Unsanctioned Ties With Abkhazia RFE/L 21 Jul 2003 -- Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze today called on Russia to sever all unsanctioned political and economic ties with the breakaway republic of Abkhazia.
  • RUSSIA / N. KOREA VOA 21 Jul 2003 -- Russia's top Asia expert is calling for immediate negotiations on the nuclear standoff between North Korea and the United States.
  • U.S., Russia Agree to Step Toward Closing Plutonium Reactors Washington File 18 Jul 2003 -- The United States and Russia signed agreements July 17 that will allow access to the traditionally closed cities of the Russian nuclear weapons complex -- Seversk and Zheleznogorsk -- so that work can begin on the task of shutting down three weapons-grade plutonium production reactors.
  • Russia: Vershbow's Comments Raise Hackles In Moscow RFE/L 17 Jul 2003 -- Recent comments by the U.S. ambassador to Moscow have raised hackles at the Russian Foreign Ministry. U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said U.S. forces could not guarantee the security of the Russian Embassy in Baghdad, as Washington no longer recognizes the mission's official status. Vershbow also called on Moscow to actively cooperate in sharing its intelligence with the United States on Iraq. What effect are Vershbow's comments likely to have? Is there validity to the U.S. argument that Moscow's mission in Baghdad is no longer covered by diplomatic immunity?
  • Military Operations in Chechnya Spreading to Neighboring Ingushetia VOA News 16 Jul 2003 -- A senior official of the group Human Rights Watch said Russia's military operations in Chechnya are spreading to neighboring Ingushetia. The official is urging Russia to rein in its forces, or risk further undermining security in the region.
  • RUSSIA / CHECHNYA VOA 16 Jul 2003 -- A senior official of the group Human Rights Watch says Russia's military operations in Chechnya are spreading to neighboring Ingushetia. The official is urging Russia to rein in its forces, or risk further undermining security in the region.
  • RUSSIA / NUKE PROGRAM VOA 15 Jul 2003 -- A new training center in Moscow is teaching former Soviet nuclear weapons researchers new skills, in the hope they will use their expertise for peaceful purposes.
  • Chechnya: Russian Forces Kill Rebel Commander RFE/L 12 Jul 2003 -- The Russian military said today troops killed a leading Chechen rebel military commander responsible for training female suicide bombers.
  • Russia: Moscow Concerned NATO Spy Planes May Use Georgian Airspace RFE/L 11 Jul 2003 -- Relations between Russia and Georgia came under further strain this week amid reports that Tbilisi might soon open its airspace to NATO reconnaissance aircraft. Moscow yesterday lodged an official complaint, cautioning both Georgia and NATO against taking unfriendly steps.
  • Russia: Security Officer Killed Trying To Defuse Bomb In Moscow RFE/L 10 Jul 2003 -- Russia's Interior Ministry says a security officer was killed today when a bomb he was trying to defuse outside a Moscow restaurant exploded.
  • Chechnya: What Is Driving Women To Suicide Missions? RFE/L 09 Jul 2003 -- The dual suicide blasts at a Moscow rock concert this weekend are the latest example of a relatively new and disturbing phenomenon -- female suicide bombers. The Kremlin was quick to blame the attacks on Chechen extremists, and says Islamic radicalism is on the rise in the republic. But human rights groups say that such attacks are a result of Russia's merciless campaign in Chechnya. They say it is deepening the anger and despair that has driven Chechen women to launch suicide attacks -- something that is antithetical to both Islam and traditional Chechen culture.
  • MOSCOW BLAST VOA 07 Jul 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed Monday that he will show no mercy, and "make no concessions", to separatist rebels whom he blames for a double suicide bombing in Russia's capital Saturday. The blasts killed more than a dozen people and injured many more.
  • Putin Vows Not to Give Up Fight Against Terrorists VOA News 07 Jul 2003 -- President Vladimir Putin says Russia will not yield to terrorism, two days after twin suicide bombings at a Moscow rock concert left 15 people dead, including the two female bombers. Mr. Putin addressed government security ministers in special session, and said that if Russia fails to stand up to terrorists the nation will face certain collapse.
  • PUTIN BLAST VOA 07 Jul 2003 -- President Vladimir Putin says Russia will not yield to terrorism, two days after twin suicide bombings at a Moscow rock concert left 15 people dead, including the two female bombers. Mr. Putin addressed government security ministers in special session, and said that if Russia fails to stand up to terrorists the nation will face certain collapse.
  • Russia: Suicide Bombers Kill 13 In Moscow; Russia Blames Chechen Separatists RFE/L 07 Jul 2003 -- Nine months after the Moscow hostage crisis that left dozens of civilians dead, two female suicide bombers brought violence back to the Russian capital over the weekend when they blew themselves up at an open-air rock concert. No one has claimed responsibility, but the Russian authorities blame Chechen separatists for the attack.
  • Russia: Putin Due In Uzbekistan As Probe Into Moscow Bombing Continues VOA 06 Jul 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is due in Uzbekistan today, as an investigation continues into explosions outside of Moscow yesterday that killed two female suicide bombers and at least 14 others.
  • RUSSIA/BLASTS VOA 06 Jul 2003 -- City health officials say two more victims of Saturday's double suicide bombing at a Moscow rock festival have died overnight, bringing the death toll to at least 15, including the two female bombers. Russian officials have vowed to increase security in the capital and bring the perpetrators to justice.
  • U.S. Condemns Terrorist Attack in Moscow Washington File 05 Jul 2003 -- The White House issued the following statement following the July 5 terrorist attack in Moscow
  • At Least 18 Killed in Moscow Suicide Bombing VOA News 05 Jul 2003 -- Two female suicide bombers killed at least 18 people, and injured numerous others, when they blew themselves up at a rock festival in Moscow on Saturday. Russian officials say Chechen rebels were to blame.
  • Russia Blames Chechen Rebels for Suicide Bombing VOA News 05 Jul 2003 -- Russia says Chechen rebels are to blame for Saturday's suicide bombing attacks in Moscow that killed at least 18 people, including the bombers. Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov says Chechen separatists most likely carried out the attacks in response to President Vladimir Putin's decision Friday to hold Kremlin-run presidential elections in Chechnya in October. He says at least 20 people were injured in the blasts.
  • Russia: Interior Minister Blames Chechen Separatists For Deadly Bombing RFE/L 05 Jul 2003 -- Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov blamed Chechen separatists for bombings at a rock concert outside Moscow today that killed at least 16 people and injured dozens of others.
  • RUSSIA/BLAST VOA 05 Jul 2003 -- Two female suicide bombers killed at least 18 people, and injured numerous others, when they blew themselves up at a rock festival in Moscow on Saturday. Russian officials say Chechen rebels were to blame.
  • Romanian, Russian Presidents To Sign Treaty In Moscow RFE/L 04 Jul 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliescu (pictured) are scheduled to sign a new treaty on bilateral relations today in Moscow.
  • HUNGARY / IVANOV VOA 03 Jul 2003 -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has concluded a two-day visit to Hungary. The visit shows how relations between Russia and Hungary have greatly improved since the last Russian soldiers left Hungarian soil more than a decade ago.
  • Bush Praises Putin for Help in Effort to Avert Iran, N. Korean Nuclear Intentions VOA News 02 Jul 2003 -- President Bush says Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing a helpful role in efforts to prevent Iran and North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. Mr. Bush says progress is being made.
  • U-N / NO KO VOA 02 Jul 2003 -- China and Russia have blocked today (Wednesday) a second U-S effort in the Security Council to condemn North Korea's revival of its nuclear program.
  • China, Russia Block UN Anti-North Korea Statement VOA News 02 Jul 2003 -- China and Russia have again blocked U.S. efforts to introduce a U.N. Security Council statement condemning North Korea's nuclear program.
  • BUSH / PUTIN VOA 02 Jul 2003 -- President Bush says Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing a helpful role in efforts to prevent Iran and North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.
  • Russia/EU: New Travel Rules Begin For Kaliningrad, With Only Minor Hitches Reported RFE/L 01 Jul 2003 -- Lithuania today introduced a form of transit visas for the almost 1 million residents of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland. This morning, the first train headed from Kaliningrad to Russia according to the new regulations, which were the result of long, difficult negotiations between European, Russian, and Lithuanian politicians.
  • RUSSIA / KALININGRAD VOA 01 Jul 2003 -- Lithuania's new visa requirements for Russian citizens traveling between the mainland and Kaliningrad have taken effect as part of Lithuania's preparations to join the European Union. But the first day of travel under the new procedures was not without incident



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