DATE=12/28/94

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-171458

TITLE=RUSSIA/CHECHNYA (S UPDATE)

BYLINE=ELIZABETH ARROTT

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

// EDITORS: UPDATES WITH BOMBING OF GROZNY ORPHANAGE //

INTRO: RUSSIAN WARPLANES HAVE REPORTEDLY ATTACKED THE BREAKAWAY

CHECHEN REPUBLIC, ONE DAY AFTER RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN

PROMISED TO HALT AIR RAIDS ON CIVILIAN AREAS. V-O-A'S ELIZABETH

ARROTT IS MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS FROM OUR MOSCOW BUREAU.

TEXT: RUSSIA'S ITAR-TASS NEWS AGENCY SAYS THE RENEWED BOMBINGS

OCCURRED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CHECHEN CAPITAL AS WELL AS THE

TOWN OF URUS-MARTAN, SOUTHWEST OF GROZNY. A WESTERN REPORTER IN

GROZNY SAYS A RUSSIAN PLANE BOMBED THE CAPITAL ITSELF, DESTROYING

AN ORPHANAGE. THE REPORTER SAYS _NONE_ OF THE CHILDREN WHO WERE

IN THE BASEMENT AT THE TIME OF THE BLAST WERE HURT.

ITAR-TASS REPORTS CASUALTIES IN URUS-MARTAN BUT GAVE _NO_ FURTHER

DETAILS. THE TOWN HAD BEEN A PLACE OF REFUGE FOR CIVILIANS

FLEEING BOMBING OF THE CAPITAL.

THE REPORTED ATTACKS COME LESS THAN A DAY AFTER PRESIDENT YELTSIN

PROMISED TO STOP AIR RAIDS ON GROZNY THAT COULD LEAD TO CIVILIAN

CASUALTIES. IMAGES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN FALLING VICTIM TO

EARLIER BOMBING HAVE PROMPTED INTERNATIONAL CONCERN.

BUT MR. YELTSIN -- IN ADDITION TO HIS PLEDGE TO STOP THE RAIDS --

ALSO VOWED TO PRESS ON AND RECLAIM CHECHNYA, WHICH UNILATERALLY

DECLARED ITS INDEPENDENCE THREE YEARS AGO.

THE RUSSIAN INVASION BEGAN EARLIER THIS MONTH BUT QUICKLY BECAME

BOGGED DOWN BY FIERCE RESISTANCE FROM CHECHEN FIGHTERS AND THE

REFUSAL OF SOME RUSSIAN OFFICERS TO FIGHT UNARMED CIVILIANS.

THE ITAR-TASS NEWS AGENCY SAYS HEAVY FIGHTING CONTINUES IN THE

VILLAGE OF ARGUN TO THE EAST OF GROZNY. ANOTHER NEWS SERVICE,

INTERFAX, QUOTES THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT'S PRESS OFFICE AS SAYING

RUSSIAN FORCES HAVE BEGUN WHAT IT CALLED REAL ACTIONS TO ADVANCE

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL. (SIGNED)

NEB/EA/MH/ART

28-Dec-94 9:03 AM EST (1403 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America