RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: ASLAN MASKHAEV :CHECHEN DEFENCE MINISTER скачать в хорошем качестве

RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: ASLAN MASKHAEV :CHECHEN DEFENCE MINISTER

(20 Jan 1995) Russian/Nat Defiant Chechens say they're a long way from giving up their fight against the Russians. The Chechen Defence Minister made that clear Thursday, after his fighters abandoned their presidential palace in Grozny. Colonel Aslan Maskhaev insists his forces are determined to fight on. In the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia, Chechen Defence Minister Colonel Aslan Maskhaev described how he tried to negotiate a ceasefire with the Russians just hours before the palace was taken. Apparently talks broke down after the Russian commander Colonel Babichev demanded the Chechens surrender the palace to him, but Maskhaev refused to raise the white flag. SOUNDBITE: Russian " I said to him this is the first time I've heard this. We've had no discussion about surrender and if the question of surrender is at the top of the agenda I am not prepared to address the question and am ready to continue fighting. SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Aslan Maskhaev, Chechen Defence Minister He says his troops only decided to evacuate the palace after the building had been virtually destroyed. SOUNDBITE: Russian "The presidential palace took direct hits from penetration bombs. The palace was almost completely destroyed. The bombing even penetrated the basement even though they knew that 200 Russian prisoners were there." SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Aslan Maskhaev, Chechen Defence Minister However Maskhaev admitted that Russia has a powerful army and would not go so far as to say his forces could defeat it. Although he vowed his troops would not give up. SOUNDBITE: Russian "Government volunteers have taken up their new positions and are ready to fight with even more force. If they think that by taking the presidential palace the fighting will stop, they are deeply mistaken." SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Aslan Maskhaev, Chechen Defence Minister Chechen fighters accompanied Maskhaev as he headed back to plan a fresh campaign at his new headquarters just a kilometre from the presidential palace. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...