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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| 'Victorious' Putin declares Chechen war over |
| 2006-02-02 |
| VLADIMIR Putin, the Russian president, yesterday announced that the six-year war in Chechnya was over, claiming rebel forces had been defeated. Chechnya has become very much "Putin's war" after he launched the army into the province while prime minister in August 1999. Since then, there have been frequent declarations by the army that fighting was over, but each time the rebels launched further offensives. However, yesterday he told an annual meet-the-press news conference before more than 500 journalists that the conflict was finally at an end. "I believe we can speak of the completion of the counter-terrorist operation," he said. Mr Putin's comments come after several months of inactivity in the war-torn Caucasus province. However, observers say rebel groups usually break off operations during the winter months only to resume attacks in the spring. Mr Putin was tough and assured at the press conference where he accused unnamed foreign powers of trying to become "puppeteers" by infiltrating spies into human rights groups. The comments come ten days after state television accused four British diplomats of spying on Moscow and of funnelling money to rights groups to buy influence. However, Mr Putin said the diplomats would not be expelled. "Let them stay. It will be nicer for us to know that we can keep an eye on these people," he said. Mr Putin also gave new details of a new ballistic missile system Russia says is designed to avoid America's missile defences. "They are hypersonic and capable of changing their flight- path," he said. And he said there would be no change from his tightly centralised governing system which opponents say has rolled-back democracy. "I am sure that we need strong presidential rule," he said. There were warnings too for Georgia and Ukraine, both of which have clashed with Russia over gas supplies in recent weeks. He said Ukraine would be asked to renegotiate a deal granting them cheap gas and warned Georgia not to continue allegations that Russia blew up gas supply pipelines to the area. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #6 If Putin thinks he's beaten those bat-shit crazy jihadis, he's a legend in his own mind. I think it's called "regrouping." |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-02-02 23:28 |
| #5 Why does the phrase "famous last words" spring to mind? |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-02-02 22:53 |
| #4 Part of the problem with non-symetrical warfare is that smugglers and bandits shift into insurgents and then switch back to the old work habits. Its hard to determine at which point the switch occurs, unless you rid the planet of both. Otherwise its a judgement call. Just make sure you're right and nothing spectacular pops up rending your judgement as good as a NYT editorial. |
| Posted by: Ebbereth Glolet5536 2006-02-02 10:39 |
| #3 If there is an actual democratic transition in Russia, as opposed to Putin declaring himself autocrat or ruling through a puppet, nobody will be more surprised than me. |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2006-02-02 10:36 |
| #2 Has the fat lady sung yet? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2006-02-02 09:54 |
| #1 He's feeling quite full of himself. Chechnya, spies, missile defense, central control, Georgia, Ukraine -- no problem! Must be an election year. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-02-02 09:36 |