Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya.
Monday, Dec 10
No major events.
Tuesday, Dec 11
The Russian military launched a five-day "special operation" in Argun after Chechen fighters carried out there an attack on a Russian military convoy.
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) started distributing support payments to some 16,000 Ingush families providing Chechen refugees with food and lodging. SDC's "Cash for Shelter" programme is worth a total of 2.7 million Swiss franks.
Wednesday, Dec 12
Russia's General Prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov pleaded for a life sentence for the tried Chechen field commander Salman Raduyev during the court proceedings taking place in the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala.
Thursday, Dec 13
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Lord Russell-Johnston in his statement critized the unimproving humanitarian situation in Chechnya and appealed to Russia, other Council of Europe governments and relevant international agencies to urgently provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of the conflict. Russell-Johnston also called on Russia "to continue and accelerate their talks with Chechen representatives".
A voluntary worker of the Society of the Russian-Chechen Friendship, Luiza Betergiriyeva, was shot dead by Russian soldiers at a check-point near Argun, where a "special operation" was underway (see Dec 11). -- Society of the Russian-Chechen Friendship
Strana.ru launched Internet information channel "Chechen Republic", which provides news and other materials on the conflict in Chechnya as seen from the Russian perspective.
Friday, Dec 14
Controversial Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, now in exile and unsuccessfully trying to form opposition to Russian President Putin, accused Russian secret services of organizing the bombings of apartment houses in Moscow and Volgodonsk in 1999. FSB spokesman Alexandr Zdanovich called Berezovsky's statement a nonsense several days later.
Saturday, Dec 15
No major events.
Sunday, Dec 16
The Russian military ended a five-day "special operation" in Argun. A number of human rights violations occurred during the operation in the sealed-off town.
The views expressed on this web site are the authors' own, and don't necessarily reflect the views of Prague Watchdog, which aims to present a wide spectrum of opinion and analysis relating to events in the North Caucasus.
