Vladimir Putin, Defended actions in Chechnya
A top Russian General has said 31 Russian soldiers have been killed and a number wounded in fierce battles with Chechen rebels in the Argun Gorge, south of the republic's capital, Grozny. General Troshev said the clashes had occurred over the last four days as Chechen fighters tried to break out of the gorge into flatland areas. It is reported that the Russian troops were considerably outnumbered by the group of about 1,000 Chechens.
Today, acting Russian President, Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian troops had broken the resistance of rebels in Chechnya. He said the military phase of the operation in the rebellious republic would soon end and he dismissed allegations of Russian atrocities there. He said Russia had had no option but to liberate the Chechen people from oppression, and at the same time to rid itself of what he described as the "gangrene" of terrorism. Mr Putin claimed Russia's actions in Chechnya were all geared towards minimising civilian casualties.
Mr Putin also said that Russia could join NATO one day, but only if his country was treated as an equal partner in decision-making by the West. Mr Putin made his comments in his first foreign television interview since he entered the Kremlin at the turn of the year. He said that despite Moscow's recent tensions with NATO, it was difficult for him to see the organisation as an enemy.
