YELTSIN’S REPRESENTATIVE TO CHECHNYA ABDUCTED.

Chechen and Russian law enforcement authorities joined forces to search for President Boris Yeltsin’s representative to Chechnya, Valentin Vlasov, who was abducted on the border between Ingushetia and Chechnya, on May 1. The two sides are not yet agreed on which side of the border the kidnapping took place, or why Vlasov was traveling with only one guard. So far, no demands have been made by the kidnappers. (Russian agencies, May 1 and 3) A special team of federal investigators, headed by First Deputy Interior Minister Colonel-General Vladimir Vasilev, is in Nazran, capital of Ingushetia, as is Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Kazbek Makhashev who is leading a team of Chechen investigators. The Chechen authorities have denied any involvement in the kidnapping.

Vlasov is not the only person to have disappeared in recent days: Three Latvians were kidnapped in Ingushetia during the night of April 27-28. (Latvian Radio, April 30) Meanwhile, Alash Sayakhanov, agriculture minister in the 1995-96 Moscow-loyalist government of Chechnya led by Doku Zavgaev, was abducted in Moscow by men claiming to be Russian law officers. (Ekho Moskvy, RIA news agency, May 1)

KRASNOYARSK GOVERNOR APPEALS FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.