Moscow, 7 September 1999 (RFE/RL) - Russian President Boris Yeltsin chaired a
meeting of his Security Council today and ordered the military to swiftly put
down a rebellion by Islamic militants in the southern republic of Dagestan. Yeltsin decided to chair the Security Council meeting himself rather than leave the task to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He called the rebels in
Dagestan "murderers" and "degenerates" and ordered the military to be tough and
act quickly in squashing the uprising. Earlier in the day, Yeltsin criticized
the military for what he called "carelessness" in allowing the incursion of the
militants from the neighboring republic of Chechnya. Hundreds of armed Chechen militants crossed into the republic on Sunday,
seizing several villages. The rebels have also been blamed for detonating a bomb
late Saturday at a Russian military housing complex in Buinaksk. The explosion
killed at least 61 people.
Russian forces continued heavy air and artillery attacks in the west of the republic. Khasavyurt, the second largest city in the republic, is reported to be filled with Russian army and police forces. The rebels now hold at least five villages close to the city, which lies just 15 kilometers from the border with Chechnya.
Russian forces continued heavy air and artillery attacks in the west of the republic. Khasavyurt, the second largest city in the republic, is reported to be filled with Russian army and police forces. The rebels now hold at least five villages close to the city, which lies just 15 kilometers from the border with Chechnya.