Fierce fighting over Chechen towns

MOSCOW, JANUARY 10: A Russian commander insisted his troops were in control Monday of the strategic Chechen towns of Argun and Shali, wher...

MOSCOW, JANUARY 10: A Russian commander insisted his troops were in control Monday of the strategic Chechen towns of Argun and Shali, where fierce fighting was reported a day after Chechen rebels claimed to have recaptured the areas from Russian fighters.

General Viktor Kazantsev, who commands Russian troops in the northern Caucasus, said on ORT television that his forces were in control of both Argun and Shali, despite Chechen claims to have taken the towns. "At this time, the situation is under control in Shali, Argun and near Mesker-Yurt," a village near Argun which Chechen rebels also claimed to have captured over the weekend, he said.

Kazantsev said that as of now in Argun "all the main positions are under Russian control, the troops there have been reinforced."

Story continues below this ad

"It’s the same thing in Shali," said Kazantsev in the first remarks by a senior Russian official since the reported Chechen gains over the weekend. The ITAR-TASS news agency reported earlier Monday fierce fighting around Shali, southeast of the Chechen capital Grozny. Russian intelligence sources quoted by ITAR-TASS gave no details of losses on either side in the fighting, but said military reinforcements had been sent to the zone to help interior ministry forces fighting the Chechen rebels. On Sunday, Chechen presidential spokesman Selim Abulmuslimov said that the Chechen rebels had retaken control of Shali, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Grozny, troops and that 500 Chechen fighters were occupying the center of the town. Two Russian policemen were killed Sunday in an attack by Chechen fighters in this zone, Russian sources had reported.

However, an interior ministry spokesman today admitted that rebels had killed 26 Russian soldiers and wounded 30 others during the last 24 hours.

Russian forces had to battle very hard to hold on to two key towns under heavy attack by Chechen rebels, and Moscow admitted for the first time that its forces had suffered major losses.

With its offensive to take Chechnya stalled, the Russian military has been forced on the defensive by Chechen rebels in recent days.

Story continues below this ad

Russia has claimed for weeks that its losses are no more than one or two a day, despite persistent reports by soldiers in Chechnya that casualties are much higher.

After steadily retreating over the last few months, the rebels have gone on the offensive in the past week in Grozny and other parts of Chechnya.