ARMED PRO-ZAVGAEV DETACHMENTS FORMING IN NORTHERN CHECHNYA.

According to the Russian military command, armed detachments of supporters of pro-Moscow Chechen leader Doku Zavgaev are forming in the Nadterechny (Zavgaev’s native region) and Urus-Martan districts of Chechnya. Their stated aim is to defend the area from possible assaults by "Dudaevist" forces. (Interfax, September 2) Two KamAZ trucks full of arms arrived yesterday in Nadterechny district and the weapons will be distributed to these detachments. It is not known who is supplying arms to the "Zavgaevists," but the trucks’ license numbers indicated that they came from neighboring Stavropol krai. (NTV, Argumenty i fakty, September 3)

The situation in Chechnya essentially has returned to what it was in 1991, when Doku Zavgaev was ousted from his post as chairman of the Supreme Soviet of what was then Chechen-Ingushetia. Then, it was these regions that refused to recognize the first Chechen president, Djohar Dudaev, and instead set up parallel power structures and armed detachments. Then, as now, the center of the anti-Dudaev opposition was located in the village of Znamenskoye.

Ukrainian National Currency Launched.