RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: MOST OF THE REPUBLIC UNDER RUSSIAN CONTROL скачать в хорошем качестве

RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: MOST OF THE REPUBLIC UNDER RUSSIAN CONTROL

(19 Apr 1995) Russian/Nat Russia's commander in Chechnya Wednesday said most of the breakaway republic was now under Russian control. Colonel-General Anatoly Kulikov was speaking a day after Russian forces captured the northern part of Bamut, the last separatist stronghold in Chechnya's lowlands. Russia's military leadership says troops entered Bamut without bloodshed but Chechen rebels say they killed at least 100 Russians. For two days, jets and artillery attacked what the Russian military described as the last Chechen rebel stronghold, 25 miles south-east of the capital Grozny. While fighter jets bombed the village, gunners targeted the surrounding woods to keep rebel reinforcements from reaching Bamut. Moscow says its troops are now entrenched along a new frontline, having retaken the northern part of the village. So far, there has been no comment from the rebels to the latest Russian announcement. But earlier, they told the Interfax news agency that at least 100 Russian soldiers had been killed in the battle for Bamut. The fall of Bamut is strategically important for the Russians as it allows them to isolate the Chechen guerrillas in the mountains. Meanwhile, Russia's commander in Chechnya has said nearly all of the breakaway republic is now under Russian control. Speaking at a press conference in Moscow Wednesday, Colonel- General Anatoly Kulikov said the army now controlled 80 percent of the breakaway republic. SOUNDBITE: (In Russian) "Having seized the largest part of Chechen territory, including all major towns in the lowlands, the bulk of illegal armed units on Chechen territory has been crushed, most of its arms especially heavy armaments have been seized or destroyed." SUPER CAPTION: Colonel-General Anatoly Kulikov - Commander Russian forces in Chechnya He added the rebels, numbering only three-thousand, had been forced into the hills. Answering criticisms of indiscriminate bombing of civilians, Kulikov stated the army had only attacked rebel strongholds. SOUNDBITE: (In Russian) "I, as commander of the joint forces, state with full authority that no attacks are ever launched at targets without additional reconnaissance to confirm that there are only guerrillas there." SUPER CAPTION: Colonel-General Anatoly Kulikov - Commander Russian forces in Chechnya Kulikov also insisted that he was under no pressure to end the conflict before President Clinton visits next month. 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...