Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya. Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
Monday, April 21
The new trial of Russian Colonel Yuri Budanov, who was accused of murdering Chechen girl Elza Kungayeva, was launched in the South Russian town of Rostov-on-Don.
This year the command of the "counter-terrorist operation" in Chechnya should be handed over from the Federal Security Service to the Interior Ministry, Russian Deputy Interior Minister Vyacheslav Tikhomirov announced.
Chechnya's new remand center (SIZO), located in Grozny, was put in operation. The center was approved for use on April 18.
Tuesday, April 22
No major events.
Wednesday, April 23
The Chechen State University in Grozny was accredited by the Russian Education Ministry, said Rector Adnan Khamzayev, adding that the university has 10,000 students and 620 lecturers.
Thursday, April 24
Chechen guerilla fighters killed 130 Chechen policemen in 2002, Akhmed Dakayev of the Moscow-backed Chechen Interior Ministry told Russian news agency Interfax.
A total of 46 people have been illegally arrested or kidnapped after the March 23 referendum on the new Chechen constitution, Secretary of Chechnya's Security Council Rudnik Dudayev announced.
Russian military units deployed in the North Caucasus are slated for full professionalisation in 2004-5, according to material worked out by Russia's Defence Ministry for the government.
Friday, April 25
The payment of compensations to Chechen citizens for their house destroyed during the "counter-terrorist operation" in Chechnya will start in September 2003, said Russian
Minister for Chechen issues Stanislav Ilyasov. Three weeks ago Ilyasov said that the payments will start in October-November 2003.
Saturday, April 26
Only 30 per cent of buildings included into the federal programme of Chechnya's reconstruction have been rebuilt, chairman of the Russia's Audit Chamber Sergei Stepashin told Russian television Rossiya. Not a single industrial plant is being reconstructed, Stepashin said adding that there are some 400,000 unemployed in the republic.
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