(29 Feb 2000) Voice and effects, voiced by Vera Frankl
The Russian army on Tuesday claimed to have ousted Chechen rebels from their last remaining mountain stronghold of Shatoi, in an operation which federal commanders said marked the end of the full-scale war.
But despite the optimism of the federal high command, there are reports that most of the 2-thousand rebels have escaped into nearby villages where they are planning to regroup for a counteroffensive.
But despite the ferocity of the Russian artillery campaign, Moscow continues to deny the recent allegations of war crimes said to have been committed by its troops in Chechnya.
00 04 These aptly named Hail and Hurricane mobile rocket launchers fire round after round into the nearby hills.
Russian heavy artillery’s been bombing rebel positions in the Argun Gorge in Southern Chechnya.
00 15 Since the fall of Grozny, the Russian offensive has been concentrated on these southern mountains .
00 22 On Tuesday, Moscow claimed a major breakthrough.
00 25 FX explosion
00 28 It says the last remaining rebel strongholds, the regional centre of Shatoi and nine surrounding settlements, have finally fallen.
The victorious troops drove through the shattered town – Moscow said it marked the end of the full-scale war.
00 42 But allegations last week that Russian troops have committed war crimes during the campaign in Chechnya have infuriated the military.
00 50 This general says if any side was guilty of atrocities, it was the rebels – not the Russians.
00 56 – 59 FX General Vladimir Shamanov speaking
00 59 He says they have photographs showing that Chechen fighters tortured Russian soldiers, including cutting out their internal organs.
01 07 FX
01 09 But while the war of words continues to rage, it seems that soon, there could be an end to this stage of the war on the ground.
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