CHECHEN WAR CREATES BOTTLENECK FOR RUSSIAN ECONOMY.

Inaddition to its massive direct costs, the Russian interventionin Chechnya has created a serious bottleneck for Russia’s oilindustry, PIA-Interfax reported July 16. Grozny’s now-destroyedMolot plant was the only Russian producer of certain kinds ofhydraulic oil extraction equipment; until it is rebuilt, Russianfirms will have to purchase this type of equipment abroad.

Kulikov: Search Chechen For Peace Began in February.