In light of the prospect of the Assistance Group's imminent return to Chechnya, considerable interest attaches to a lengthy essay entitled "Chechnya's Endless War," which appeared in the May 18 issue of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung (posted in English translation by Ichkeria.org) The author of... MORE

Russian presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky stressed to the Interfax News Agency on May 16, "Ideally, the leader of the former Ichkerian regime, Aslan Maskhadov, must be arrested and tried on the criminal charges against him." Yastrzhembsky added that, "The federal authorities are not conducting any... MORE

In Two Weeks' Time," a headline in the online daily Gazeta.ru read, "Budanov Will Go Home" (Gazeta.ru, May 17). Colonel Yury Budanov, accused of strangling a young Chechen woman, El'za Kungaeva, will, one of his lawyers, Sergei Dorofeev, confidently predicted, receive a three-year sentence and... MORE

On May 17, the pro-Moscow mayor of Djohar, Bislan Gantamirov, announced that he had resigned his post (Lenta.ru, May 17).

On May 15, after having reported to President Vladimir Putin in person and having submitted a written report to him concerning the success of the "counterterrorist operation" in Chechnya, FSB Director Nikolai Patrushev, Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov, and Minister of Internal Affairs Boris Gryzlov... MORE

The Federal Forces Are Again Preparing for War" announced a headline in the May 7 issue of Kommersant, which reported on an important meeting held on May 5, in the city of Essentuki, in Stavropol Krai in southern Russia. Present at this meeting were the... MORE

In light of the new outbreak of serious fighting in Chechnya, the long passive Russian State Duma apparently intends to involve itself in the search for a political solution to the conflict. Duma deputy Valentin Nikitin recently visited Chechnya, where he held talks with the... MORE

The Russian media have of late been focusing attention on the recent murders of ethnic Russians in the Chechen capital of Djohar [Grozny]. The assumption has been that the murderers are Chechens, consumed with a "genocidal" hatred for Russians. The Chechen separatist president, Aslan Maskhadov,... MORE

On May 6-7, a fact-finding mission of the European Union visited Ingushetia and Chechnya. The mission consisted of the Swedish and Belgian ambassadors to Russia, Sven Hirdman and Andre Mernier, and the chief of representation of the European Commission to Russia, Richard Wright. On May... MORE