- Title: RUSSIA: RUSSIAN FORCES INTENSIFIES ITS OFFENSIVE IN BREAKAWAY REGION OF CHECHNYA
- Date: 28th November 1999
- Summary: CHECHEN-INGUSH BORDER, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 28, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS COLUMN OF RUSSIAN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS DRIVING INTO CHECHNYA (3 SHOTS) 0.21 2. SV/CU CHECHEN REFUGEES WITH CHILDREN AT CROSSING POINT (2 SHOTS) 0.30 3. SV REFUGEE BUS, PAN TO RUSSIAN SOLDIERS 0.35 4. WS/SV REFUGEES STANDING BESIDE BUSES (2 SHOTS) 0.46 5. PAN REFUGEE BUS (WITH WHITE FLAG) DEPARTING 0.55 6. SV RUSSIAN SOLDIER TRYING TO ORGANISE REFUGEES ON TO EVACUATION BUSES 1.01 7. SV/SLV REFUGEES BOARDING BUSES/ TRUCKS (2 SHOTS) 1.15 8. SV WOMAN REFUGEE WAITING ABOARD BUS 1.18 9. WS/SLV REFUGEES WAITING FOR BUSES (2 SHOTS) 1.26 10. SCU RUSSIAN SOLDIER HOLDING PASSPORTS OF REFUGEES/ DISTRIBUTING PASSPORTS 1.34 11. CU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ROSA: "Yes, I'm going home. You can see they're letting us go. It's the fourth day I've been waiting. I'm going to Asanovskaya. It's the fourth day I've been trying to go." 1.46 12. WS/SV BORDER CROSSING/CHILD SITTING ON LUGGAGE (2 SHOTS) 1.58 13. MV REFUGEES OF TRUCK/ SLV BUS DRIVING ACROSS BORDER INTO CHECHNYA (2 SHOTS) 2.08 14. TRAVELLING SHOTS COLUMN OF RUSSIAN TANKS AND TRUCKS DRIVING INTO CHECHNYA (2 SHOTS) 2.34 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th December 1999 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: INGUSH-CHECHEN BORDER, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA2QXRTJQKVTDTTDM3TMHN5VJAK
- Story Text: Russian forces said they had intensified their
offensive in the breakaway Chechnya region, attacking the
capital Grozny and inflicting heavy losses on Islamic fighters
in a southern valley.
The heavy fighting has raised fears of more civilian
casualties, but Russian authorities say they have offered
civilians a corridor to escape the fighting.
Heavy artillery and warplanes have been pounding Grozny
for days, sending residents fleeing with white flags or
forcing them to take shelter in cellars, but rebels appear
determined to hold the city which is not yet completely
surrounded.
Interfax news agency quoted the Russian military press
centre in the region as saying warplanes and helicopter
gunships had carried out more than 100 sorties on Saturday
(November 27) against Chechen targets, dealing a powerful blow
to positions in Grozny.
Itar-Tass news agency quoted the Russian military as
saying "anti-terrorist operations" were continuing and
positions being reinforced."Preparations of troops for urban
and mountain conditions continued," it added.
Russian troops have so far been hitting rebel positions
from a distance with air and artillery strikes, avoiding the
kind of close combat that cost thousands of lives and led to
humiliating defeat in a 1994-96 Chechen war.
Tass quoted Russian military sources as saying resistance
was pointless.But Russian troops, who have so far rolled
across the plains of northern Chechnya with little opposition,
face a tougher task in the streets of Grozny or in southern
mountains.
The government is also under pressure from the West to
reconsider its tactics due to concerns over rising civilian
casualties and a flood of more than 200,000 refugees.
A government spokesman said Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin had examined a detailed plan for dealing with
refugees on Friday (November 26).This involved setting up new
camps in those parts of Chechnya taken under Russian control
in the nine-week-old offensive.
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