Word: dagestan
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Dates: during 1996-1996
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MOSCOW: Russia announced it would begin withdrawing troops from Chechnya, but cautioned that they would return "if the situation deteriorates." Troops Monday began redeploying across the boarder in neighboring Dagestan, the first stage of a three-part withdrawal that is expected to last until at least October. TIME's Andrew Keith says that the withdrawal is largely a cosmetic move, since the soldiers can quickly be sent back into Chechnya if peace negotiations break down. "There is still fighting all over Chechnya despite the cease fire. Among Chechens, there isn't a whole lot of faith in the cease-fire...
Dudayev: First, a major hotbed of instability in the Caucasus will have been settled. Otherwise Dagestan [the neighboring Muslim republic east of Chechnya] could be next to explode. Second, Russia wouldn't have to send trillions of rubles here, since once the conflict is settled, we don't intend to ask Russia for any money. We can jointly exploit the riches of this land, including income from [energy] transports through this key geographical area...
...pain, impotence and shame." But Yeltsin, with a flourish of newspeak reminiscent of Soviet days, simply declared himself a winner. His troops, he claimed at a news conference in the Kremlin, killed 153 Chechens, captured 28, and freed 82 hostages after besieging Pervomaiskoye, a hamlet in far-off Dagestan. "We have taught Dudayev a sound lesson," Yeltsin said, referring to Chechen separatist leader Jokhar Dudayev. Now, Yeltsin threatened, Russia will hit more rebel strongholds "to put an end to terrorism on Russian soil...
...election in June. But if he actually launches a major new antiguerrilla offensive, it is very likely to backfire. No matter how the Kremlin portrays it, last week's action was a bloody, humiliating mess. A ragtag group of Chechen gunmen had slipped into Dagestan, seized 3,400 hostages in the town of Kizlyar, and later held off a full-scale assault by thousands of Russian soldiers, including elite special-service units. The Russians prevailed only after a furious bombardment leveled the village where the band of about 300 rebels had dug in with their 120 or more hostages...
...were seized in Grozny last week. Unintimidated by Russian threats to "unconditionally eliminate" Chechen leader Jokar Dudayev, the rebels are holding the remainder of the hostages, demanding that the Russian government release the bodies of fighters killed during the assault. Chechen morale has risen dramatically since the strike into Dagestan, despite Yeltsin's tough talk...