RUSSIAN SOLDIER RETURNS HOME AFTER 18 MONTHS’ CHECHEN CAPTIVITY.

Private Andrei Weinmaster was reunited with his mother this week after a year and a half captivity in Chechnya. A ransom was paid for his release. Weinmaster, who was 18 when he was first sent into action, was captured by Chechen rebels in December 1995. His family believed he was dead. Instead, he was being kept with a group of other soldiers in a remote Chechen village. Weinmaster said they were fed once a day and alleged that many captives were taken away to be shot. (Itar-Tass, May 27)

CIS Won’t Invoke Collective Security Machinery in Central Asia.