Chechens Claim 1500 Russian's Killed In 4 Days

Note: NEWS RELEASES: from http://www.kavkaz.org/ - the official web-site of the Chechen rebels. The website has recently been upgraded and deserves a look. Further transcripts from the site will be carried in the General Wire.

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January 20, 2000

Kavkaz-Tsentr reports:

In an interview with Kavkaz-Tsentr Shamil Basayev proudly presented a schedule of the Russian casualties in the fights for Dzhokhar during the last four days: More than 1,500 Russians have been killed. About 70 armoured vehicles have been knocked out - among them 13 of the latest Russian T-90 tanks. According to Basayev the T-90 really is a mighty vehicle - it takes 5-10 RPG-grenades to knock out one T-90. The situation in the outskirts of Dzhokhar: the Russian aggressors in several parts of the town advanced 100-500 m towards the centre. So they did from the direction of Khankala towards Michurina (500 m) and from the direction of Karpinski Kurgan (100 m).
In Tashkala the Russians managed to fortify themselves in several blocks of flats. The Russian efforts for break-throughs in the 30th district, near the tinning factory and near the brickworks have been repulsed. During the last two days bitter fights near the Republican hospital and in the 15th military settlement. The mujahideen succeeded holding their positions. The fighting for the Chechen capital continues with growing intensity and bitterness.

The Chechens have captured a general of the Russian Interior Ministry forces: General Malofeyev. According to the Chechen command Malofeyev has been brought to a save place an is being examined. Along with him a colonel of the MVD-forces has been taken POW. All in all during the last 24 hours 32 aggressors have been captured.

During the last four days 45 mujahideen were killed, about 60 were wounded. These are the most heavy casualties since the beginning of the Russian aggression. Most mujahideen where killed in the bitter combat actions of January 17 in different parts of Dzhokhar. The bombing and shelling of the town does not stop for a single minute. The Russians use strategical bomber-planes. Dzhokhar has almost vanished from earth. Most of the victims are civilians. Dozens of corpses of civilians are scattered on the roads of the town.

In the combat actions in order to gain control of the access to the Argun Valley the Chechen mujahideen performed several operations near Duba-Yurt. On January 19 they have re-captured four heights occupied by the Russians two days earlier. More than half of the effective strength of the "so-called spetsnaz" has been wiped out.

The operations to liberate Gekhi go on. Chechen units entered Gekhi and attacked the Russians. The Russians are shelling the town. Since yesterday evening more than 250 Russians have been killed, 10 armoured vehicles have been destroyed.

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January 19, 2000

Kavkaz-Tsentr reports:

In Kabul in the near future a Chechen embassy is going to be opened in an official ceremony. The Chechen ex-president Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev is going to visit Kabul for further negotiations on Chechen-Afghan relations and to take part in this ceremony. According to Movladi Udugov the Afghan leadership has suggested to the Chechen to use the building of the former Soviet embassy.

After a New year's holiday of two week, one of the more prominent inmates of Moscow's Lefortovo prison, is back on Russian TV: Gantamirov announces the forthcoming capturing of the Chechen capital. And the Russian propaganda reports similar things in order to approve Putin's chances in the presidential elections. The real situation is quite different: The Chechens are permitting the Russian units to move deeper into the town in order to wipe them out subsequently. So it happened in the last days in Michurina, in the Microrayon, near the Republican hospital, and in the 15th military settlement. The Russian assault units that moved with tanks and BMPs into these parts of Dzhokhar have been wiped out almost completely. During the last 24 hours the Russians lost about 300 men and 8 armoured vehicles. The situation in the Chechen capital is under the control of the Chechen government forces.

At the access to the Argun village the Russian advance after three days of fighting has been halted. Now the Russians are trying again to capture some villages of the region. The Russian elite-terrorists are suffering heavy casualties: 180 men have been killed, 2 helicopters shot down and 6 armoured vehicles knocked out. The Russians are occupying a height near Duba-Yurt but their assault on a second one, dominating the battle area, has been repulsed. 60 Russian killed, 30 taken POW. The Russians are continuing to perform air-raids on Argun Valley. They are making frequent use of FAEs and napalm.

Kavkaz-Tsentr announces the success of the Chechen operation in Gekhi. The local command and several 'blok-posts' have been destroyed. Up to 50 Russians have been killed. During the operation a Russian tank column, trying to move into the town, has been attacked by the Chechens and has been repulsed. According to the Chechen command the mujahideen executed all their tactical tasks. It is not their aim to fight according to the rules established by the Russians. The rules of fighting are now going to be dictated by the mujahideen - says Khattab, the commander of the Islamic Peacekeeping Army of Chechnya and Dagestan.

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