Moscow, 13 June 2000 (RFE/RL) - Chechen separatists say they have started a new tactic in their war with Russia after conducting the third suicide attack on Russian facilities within six days. Rebel spokesman Movladi Udugov said yesterday's attack was made by a Russian who had converted to Islam. Udugov said six soldiers died when the convert detonated a car filled with explosives at a military post in the Chechen capital Grozny.
Russian authorities did not immediately comment on the claim, but did confirm yesterday that an identical suicide attack occurred 24 hours earlier at a different military post. Last Wednesday, two Chechen women detonated a truck packed with explosives at a Russian army base west of Grozny.
Moscow yesterday moved to strengthen its grip on the breakaway republic by naming Chechen religious leader Akhmad-Khadja Kadyrov as the head of Russian administration of Chechnya. Chechnya's President Aslan Maskhadov said Kadyrov is a traitor who should be executed.
Moscow yesterday moved to strengthen its grip on the breakaway republic by naming Chechen religious leader Akhmad-Khadja Kadyrov as the head of Russian administration of Chechnya. Chechnya's President Aslan Maskhadov said Kadyrov is a traitor who should be executed.