Persoverzicht Tsjetsjenië - juni 2006

• 2006-07-03
• Europa in de wereld

1 juni 2006

- Clashes with militants in Ingushetia, Dagestan: The media report about clashes between police and militants yesterday in Ingushetia and in Dagestan, during which five militants, a policeman and a civilian were killed. According to Chechen PM Ramzan Kadyrov, the militants killed in Ingushetia, among them a warlord named Khaikhoroyev, had returned from Turkey as “they have nowhere to hide in Chechnya”. Dailies highlight that the operation in Ingushetia has been conducted by the Chechen special task force. (Gazeta, Interfax, Kommersant, MT, NG, Novye Izvestia, RIAN, VN)I

5 juni 2006

- One serviceman killed, five wounded in N. Caucasus: According to press reports, one serviceman was killed and two wounded in a militant attack yesterday in Ingushetia. The media report that five law enforcement officers were injured in a series of explosions over the weekend in Chechnya. (Interfax, Kommersant, RIAN, VN)

6 juni 2006

- Poll to evaluate Chechen PM’s activities: Kommersant reports about a decision by Chechen authorities to carry out a poll to evaluate the activities of Chechen PM Ramzan Kadyrov. It is expected that the results of the poll will be published on 14 June when Kadyrov will mark the first 100 days of his appointment as Chechen premier. Gazeta quotes speaker of Chechnya’s People’s Assembly, Dukvakha Abdurakhmanov, as saying that there is no alternative to Ramzan Kadyrov as Chechen President should incumbent President Alu Alkhanov step down or change his job. (Gazeta, Kommersant)

8 juni 2006

- Supreme Court rules on ‘Ulman case’: Russia’s Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the so called Ulman case should be retried by a panel of judges and not by a jury in line with the Constitutional Court decision. A group of special task force servicemen led by Cap. Eduard Ulman had been charged with the murder of six civilians in Chechnya, but two juries acquitted the servicemen. (Interfax, Kommersant, NG, Novye Izvestia, RG, VN)

- Militants asked to refrain from combat during G8 summit?: Kommersant cites a Chechen separatist web site which announced that federal authorities had called on militants to refrain from combat during the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. Some observers do not rule out that the proposal might have been accepted by militants in exchange for handing over for burial the body of separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov. Federal and local Chechen authorities, however, deny the existence of such agreements. (Kommersant)

14 juni 2006

- New speaker of Chechen Parliament’s upper house: Kommersant reports that Akhmarkhadzhi Gazikhanov has been replaced by Vakhid Mantsayev as speaker of the Council of the Republic, the upper house of the Chechen Parliament. The daily refers to some observers who suggested that the replacement is linked to the possible confirmation of Ramzan Kadyrov as Chechen President this autumn. Meanwhile, Kadyrov intends to report today about his work during the first 100 days of his premiership. (Kommersant)

15 juni 2006

- Chechen PM’s work viewed positively – poll: The media report broadly about celebrations to mark the first 100 days of Chechen premiership of Ramzan Kadyrov. In accordance with a poll carried out in Chechnya, 87% of Chechen residents said they view Kadyrov’s work positively. Dailies highlight rallies in support of the Chechen PM staged yesterday in Grozny by members of the so called ‘Ramzan Kadyrov fan club’. (Gazeta, Interfax, Izvestia, Kommersant, NG, Novye Izvestia, RG, VN)

- Paris court sentences “Chechen Network” group: A Paris court yesterday convicted 25 members of an Islamic group – known as the “Chechen Network” – to prison terms up to 10 years. The convicts had been found guilty of planning terrorist attacks in France in support of Chechen militants. (Gazeta, Izvestia, MT, RIAN, VN)

16 juni 2006

- Basayev claims responsibility: Kommersant reports that Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev has claimed responsibility for the killing of the late Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov and that he paid $50,000 to carry out the killing. Basayev also said the assassination of Kadyrov’s son, Ramzan, the current Chechen PM, would cost half as much. (Kommersant)

- Chechen singer’s attackers sentenced: Dailies report about a ruling by a Moscow court which has sentenced two Moscow students to 9 and 12 months for an attack on Chechen singer Liza Umarova and her son. The convicts had been found guilty on charges of inciting ethnic hatred. (Gazeta, Kommersant)

19 juni 2006

- Chechen separatist leader killed in Chechnya: Federal troops in a raid in Chechnya on Saturday killed the Ichkerian/Chechen separatist leader, Abdul-Khalim Saidullayev. Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Nikolai Patrushev, said two federal troops had been also killed. In televised remarks, Chechen PM Ramzan Kadyrov said Saidullayev had been betrayed by an informer for “a dose of drug” and called the killing “a severe blow to the terrorists”. (Gazeta, Interfax, Izvestia, Kommersant, NG, Novye Izvestia, RG, VN)

20 juni 2006

- Russia urges release of diplomats abducted in Iraq: The Russian Foreign Ministry calls for Russian diplomats kidnapped in Iraq to be released immediately. According to news agencies, a report has been posted on the Internet alleging that an organization that has identified itself as the Mujahideen Shura Council has claimed responsibility for the abduction of the four officials of the Russian. In exchange for the release of Russian diplomats the Mujahideen Shura Council demand a withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya and the release all militants captured in Northern Caucasus. ( Interfax, Gazeta)

- Chechen court sentences Algerian to 20 years: The Chechen Supreme Court has sentenced an Algerian citizen to 20 years in prison for being a member of an illegal armed unit, illegally crossing the Russian border and taking hostages, says a Monday report posted on the Prosecutor General's Office website. Investigators said that Kamel Bourahla came to the Georgian village of Duisi in the Pankisi Gorge from London via Baku in spring 2001. Bourahla was an active member of the illegal armed unit until an injury in July 2004. He took part in the abduction of an assistant military commander of the Vedeno district, Lt. Col. Sergey Boryayev, in Chechnya on September 29, 2001. (Interfax)

21 juni 2006

- Chechen students beaten: Three Chechen students of the Tver State University were beaten by five militia men. The students were hospitalized at the neurosurgical department of the city hospital. The police, who arrived on the scene did not take any measures against the attackers. (Kommersant, Noviye Izvestuya)

22 juni 2006

- Reports say Russian diplomats slain in Iraq: A group linked to al-Qaeda, Mujahedeen Shura Council, said it had killed four Russian diplomats being held hostage in Iraq. Earlier, the group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, demanding that Russia pull out of Chechnya. The Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday said Russia is checking “all the reports” and continues to call for the release of the kidnapped diplomats. No comment on the information about the possible slayings was available. (Gazeta, Izvestia, Kommersant, NG, Novye Izvestia, VN)

- Chechen PM speaks of new methods against militants: Meeting Chechnya’s police officers, Chechen PM Ramzan Kadyrov has proposed that law enforcement officers should meet Chechen clergy to discuss the fight against Wahhabism and militants in Chechnya. As Nezavisimaya gazeta writes, the fight against militants in Chechnya should acquire an “ideological aspect”. (NG)

23 juni 2006

- Government discusses 2007 budget: Government yesterday approved major parameters of the 2007 budget envisaging first budget deficit of RUR170bn (more than $6bn) since the 1998 financial crisis in Russia. The government allocates an extra RUR192bn (more than $7bn) on the Presidential nation-wide projects and the improvement of the demographic situation. Some of the ‘federal targeted programmes’ were abandoned, such as – ‘Reconstruction of Chechnya’s economy’, ‘Energy Safety’, ‘Regional Development’. PM Fradkov’s idea of a VAT cut down to 13% was not supported. However, the aggregated spending on investment, including the financing of the Investment Fund, was increased by ¼ to reach RUR817bn ($30bn) (Kommersant, Vedomosti).

26 juni 2006

- Chechen separatist leader threatens terror attacks: In a statement on a Chechen separatist web site, new Chechen separatist leader and warlord Doku Umarov has threatened to widen attacks to the rest of Russia. (MT)

- Kremlin funding rallies in US?: Vedomosti refers to a publication in The Wall Street Journal which reported that Russia has spent $400,000 for the last two years on funding rallies in the USA to demand the deportation to Russia of Chechen separatists, including a representative of the Ichkerian/Chechen foreign minister Ilyas Akhmadov, and to protest against ‘double standards’. (Vedomosti)

- Chechen PM awarded PhD: According to media reports, Chechen PM Ramzan Kadyrov has defended his PhD thesis in Dagestan’s Institute of Business, Management and Law and was awarded a PhD degree in Economy. (Kommersant, Novye Izvestia)

29 juni 2006

- Chechen separatist leader makes appointments: Kommersant reports that a web site of Chechen separatists has published a so called ‘decree’ by the new leader of Chechen separatist, Doku Umarov, on the appointment of Shamil Basayev ‘vice-president of Ichkeria’. (Kommersant)

30 juni 2006

- Chechen warlords hiding in Ingushetia?: In a televised programme, an official at the Chechen district police, Arbi Zakriyev, said Chechen warlords Shamil Basayev and Doku Umarov were hiding in Ingushetia. The statement was dismissed by Ingush authorities. (Gazeta, Kommersant, NG)