Word: chechens
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...nature abhors a vacuum, so too does the Kremlin. Yeltsin's latest disappearance overlapped the humiliating attack by Chechen separatists that gave them back control of their capital, Grozny. The President's absence allowed his fractious advisers to play out their own power struggle with the lives of thousands of Chechen civilians and Russian soldiers. Conflicting views within the Russian government about how to respond produced astounding zigzags in policy. Even as the Chechen war seemed to subside at week's end with dramatic news of a truce and maybe even a peace agreement, there was a sense that...
Lebed was then dealt a severe setback when, on Wednesday, Pulikovsky jumped the gun and began pounding the Chechen capital with heavy artillery, bombs and rockets, at least 12 hours before his deadline. Thousands of panicked civilians trying to flee were caught in the cross fire. As the bombardment intensified, Lebed sped to Grozny to renew talks with Aslan Maskhadov, the Chechen military commander, calling the Russian offensive "a bad joke." He quickly "guaranteed" there would be "no storming of Grozny" and he would "see to it" that the Russian generals obeyed...
Lebed prevailed by force of will. After eight hours of strenuous talks with the rebel leaders, interrupted by frantic calls to the Chechen and Russian camps to quell sporadic fighting, he announced a breakthrough that he claimed would "terminate this bloody bacchanalia." A cease-fire would commence at noon on Friday, Russian troops would begin departing Grozny, and joint patrols would police the shattered city. In another couple of days, he promised to produce a permanent political solution to Chechnya's bid for independence. Never mind that similar plans have come and gone in the 20-month war. Claiming credit...
...Chechen fighting ebbed, the Kremlin war continued. On Friday, Lebed announced he would meet with his boss to settle things. Yeltsin initially declined to see his envoy or endorse his blueprint for peace. But later, he reportedly told Lebed by telephone that he generally approved of his initial efforts to end the war and authorized him to hold talks with Chechen rebel leaders on a political accord that would keep Chechnya within the Russian Federation. Lebed headed back to Chechnya over the weekend to work out such a settlement...
GROZNY, Russia: Thousands of weary Russian soldiers continued their withdrawal from the Chechen capital of Grozny Thursday, and on the other side of the city, about 1,900 jubilant rebels pulled out as well. The withdraw could be complete as early as Saturday, barring any new violence or other delays. The Chechens also returned 16 Russian prisoners of war. The pullout is taking place under the terms of an agreement brokered last week by security chief Alexander Lebed, and rebel forces are also supposed to withdraw from some areas of the city. Lebed, who is in Moscow after briefing Prime...