Russian Exit From Chechnya at Risk
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MOSCOW — The seizure of 22 Russian soldiers by armed Chechens could impede the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya, a senior military commander said Sunday.
About 40 Chechens captured the troops Saturday at a Russian guard post in neighboring Dagestan after they were forbidden to cross the border with their weapons, Russian news agencies reported.
The soldiers, who had been deployed to guard the border with the republic, were then taken to Chechnya, the news agencies said.
Gen. Anatoly Shkirko, commander of Interior Ministry troops in Chechnya, told the Itar-Tass news agency that the incident could complicate the withdrawal of the last two Russian brigades from the breakaway republic by Jan. 27.
But he said any decision to halt or slow the withdrawal would ultimately be made in the Kremlin by the political leadership.
On Friday, Gen. Vladimir Sukhoruchenko, commander of Russian troops in Chechnya, said the withdrawal was ahead of schedule and could be finished next month.
Movladi Udugov, the Chechen vice premier and information minister, told the television news program “Itogi” on Sunday that the captured Russian soldiers were in no danger and that they would soon be released.
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