Word: chechnya
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...survival of Russia as a single country could also be imperiled. A successful bid for independence by Chechnya could encourage secessionist movements in scores of other unhappy ethnic and economic enclaves. On a broader canvas still, the worldwide trend of small ethnic groups to break away from larger sovereignties and form their own mini-nations could get either a stiff setback or a strong boost from Chechnya's fate...
...obscure land called Chechnya is about the size of Connecticut, a mere pinprick even on a large world map. Its 1.3 million people make up less than 1% of the population of the Russian Federation from which it is trying to secede. But the war in this mountain enclave in the northern Caucasus involves stakes that are hardly Ruritanian. Obviously, there are the lives of many thousands of Chechens and Russian soldiers that could be snuffed out in the promised guerrilla struggle; at week's end, at least 16 and possibly 70 Russians -- counts differed wildly -- and hundreds of Chechens...
...sharply criticized Defense Minister Pavel Grachev's military strategy. (One field commander refused to advance on Grozny or fire on civilians.) Today, according to a Tass report denied by the government, Grachev dismissed three top generals, accepted the resignation of another and took personal command of military operations in Chechnya...
Soldiers of the breakaway Caucasian republic of Chechnya refused to surrender despite running out of ammunition today, but the lapse in rebel shelling allowed Russian jets a free corridor to bomb the Chechen capital, Grozny. But, the Kremlin -- which faces mounting domestic opposition to the attacks -- today admitted that the fighting had gone on longer than Russian officials anticipated, although they attributed the delays to efforts to limit civilian casualties. (Several international military analysts said Russian troops' lack of battle-readiness was the real reason.) There was also no sign Russia was nearing its goal of encircling Grozny with troops...
Domestic opposition to the Russian offensive is mounting. A new poll of Moscow and St. Petersburg citizens reveals that 75 percent of those surveyed say the government's actions in Chechnya are a massive human rights violation. Eighty-five percent said there should be no bombing of Grozny...