DATE=12/28/94

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-171463

TITLE=RUSSIA/CHECHNYA (L)

BYLINE=ELIZABETH ARROTT

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: HEAVY FIGHTING IS REPORTED IN THE BREAKAWAY CHECHEN

REPUBLIC, WITH RUSSIA SAYING IT HAS INTENSIFIED ITS EFFORTS TO

ENCIRCLE THE CAPITAL. V-O-A'S ELIZABETH ARROTT REPORTS FROM

MOSCOW THAT THE NEWS FOLLOWS AN APPARENT RENEWAL OF AIR ATTACKS

AGAINST GROZNY, DESPITE A PLEDGE FROM RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT TO HALT

RAIDS ON CIVILIAN AREAS.

TEXT: A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CHECHEN GOVERNMENT IS QUOTED AS SAYING

RUSSIAN TROOPS HAVE BEGUN STORMING GROZNY, BUT THE KREMLIN DENIES

THE CHARGE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TOLD A WESTERN NEWS AGENCY

THE ACTION BY RUSSIAN FORCES IS WHAT HE CALLED AN APPROACH TO THE

CITY, _NOT_ AN ALL-OUT ASSAULT.

THE CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS FOLLOW REPORTS FROM JOURNALISTS IN

CHECHNYA THAT RUSSIA RENEWED AIR ATTACKS ON THE REGION EARLY

WEDNESDAY. THE ITAR-TASS NEWS AGENCY SAYS RUSSIAN WARPLANES

BOMBED THE OUTSKIRTS OF GROZNY AND THE TOWN OF URUS-MARTAN,

SOUTHWEST OF THE CAPITAL. A WESTERN NEWS AGENCY REPORTS A

RUSSIAN PLANE BOMBED GROZNY ITSELF, DESTROYING AN ORPHANAGE. THE

DISPATCH SAYS THE CHILDREN, WHO WERE HIDING IN THE BASEMENT, WERE

_NOT_ HARMED. THERE WAS _NO_ IMMEDIATE REACTION FROM THE RUSSIAN

GOVERNMENT ON REPORTS OF THE ORPHANAGE BOMBING.

HEAVY FIGHTING REPORTEDLY CONTINUES IN THE VILLAGE OF ARGUN, ON

THE MAIN ROAD EAST OF GROZNY. RUSSIAN FORCES HAVE MET FIERCE

RESISTANCE THERE FROM THE OUT-GUNNED AND OUT-MANNED CHECHEN

FIGHTERS.

THE INCREASED ATTACKS COME LESS THAN A DAY AFTER RUSSIAN

PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN DELIVERED A DETERMINED SPEECH TO THE

NATION, DECLARING RUSSIAN TROOPS WOULD SOON BRING THE REBEL

REGION UNDER MOSCOW'S CONTROL. THE SMALL, MAINLY MUSLIM REPUBLIC

UNILATERALLY DECLARED ITS INDEPENDENCE THREE YEARS AGO. MOSCOW

LAUNCHED ITS INVASION EARLIER THIS MONTH AFTER ITS COVERT WAR

AGAINST THE CHECHEN LEADERSHIP WAS EXPOSED.

IN THE TELEVISED ADDRESS, MR. YELTSIN PROMISED TO HALT ANY

BOMBING OF GROZNY THAT MIGHT LEAD TO CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. A

DEFENSE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING RUSSIAN FORCES

WOULD BEGIN TO USE LASER-GUIDED BOMBS TO INCREASE ACCURACY.

MORE THAN TWO WEEKS OF INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING OF THE CHECHEN

CAPITAL HAVE LEFT THE PRESIDENTIAL BUILDING STANDING, BUT

DESTROYED RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND CAUSED MANY CIVILIAN

DEATHS. THE RELENTLESS ATTACKS PROMPTED BOTH DOMESTIC RUSSIAN

AND INTERNATIONAL CONCERN.

SEVERAL MOSCOW NEWSPAPERS DENOUNCED MR. YELTSIN AND HIS SPEECH

WEDNESDAY. THE FORMER COMMUNIST NEWSPAPER "PRAVDA" SAID THE

PRESIDENT'S CLAIM THAT THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN IS NEAR COMPLETION

IS UNREALISTIC. THE DAILY "IZVESTIA" WRITES: "SOCIETY IS SPLIT,

THE ARMY IS DEMORALIZED, FAMILIES RECEIVE DEATH NOTICES ON NEW

YEAR'S EVE. AUTHORITIES CALL THIS SUCCESS. WHAT, THEN," THE

NEWSPAPER ASKS, "IS FAILURE?" (SIGNED)

NEB/EA/MH/ART

28-Dec-94 10:09 AM EST (1509 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America