The Russian command in Chechnya announced this morning that it has placed its troops on alert for unspecified measures against "bandit detachments." (Russian and Western agencies, July 9. See Perspective section below). Tikhomirov Denies Dismissal Reports.

Lt. General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, commander of Russia's combined forces in Chechnya, yesterday denied the previous day's reports that he has been replaced. Similarly, president Yeltsin's office disclaimed knowledge of any move to replace Tikhomirov. Official media had the previous day said that Yeltsin had signed... MORE

The Ukrainian parliament is expected to debate the candidacy of Pavel Lazarenko as the new prime minister of Ukraine tomorrow, July 10. As required by the new legislation, the prime minister and cabinet tendered their resignation following the adoption of Ukraine's first post-Soviet constitution on... MORE

A Russian parliamentarian yesterday characterized a closed Duma hearing on military reform as not especially effective, and suggested that until a new defense minister is appointed subsequent hearings were also unlikely to contribute significantly to the reform effort. According to Aleksei Arbatov, yesterday's discussions continued... MORE

Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbaev described Russia's election as the first-ever "normal and civilized" one, breaking with the Communist legacy of settling disputes through violence. Highlighting for journalists his message to and telephone conversation with Yeltsin, Nazarbaev stated that the successful holding of the election was... MORE

Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosian congratulated Yeltsin and the people of Russia in a special statement on the outcome of the election. He said Russia's "liberation from the nightmare of the Communist ideology" paves the way toward increasingly closer Armenian-Russian relations. The Armenian president was one... MORE

Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyev described Yeltsin's reelection as "the victory of forward-looking forces... presaging "Russia's transformations into a fully democratic country." Aliyev said that Boris Yeltsin is the political leader "needed for the continuation of reforms." (Interfax, July 4 and 5) Aliyev's seemed the most... MORE

. Describing Yeltsin's reelection as "a victory for world democracy," Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze pronounced himself relieved that "Russia has, thank God, made the right choice." Russia's choice was not between individuals but between political systems, Shevardnadze stressed as he paid tribute to Yeltsin's "heroism... MORE

President Leonid Kuchma told representatives of Ukraine's the parliamentary parties that defeat of Communists in Russia should persuade all the Ukrainian political forces to promote reforms in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Hennady Udovenko said that Ukraine seeks a speedy resumption of the negotiations with Russia which... MORE

Hailing Yeltsin's role in promoting "the unity of the two fraternal Slavic peoples," Belarus president Aleksandr Lukashenko predicted that Yeltsin's reelection "will undoubtedly accelerated integration processes among CIS states." But Lukashenko also complained that Russia's protectionism is damaging Belarus. "Russia's market has for some time... MORE