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Russian Army Units Start to Withdraw from Chechnya
Russian federal forces started withdrawing from Chechnya Tuesday, and the first contingent involved are troops not belonging to the North Caucasus Military District and paratroops.
According to the Itar-Tass, the first train with servicemen and military equipment of the 74th Motorized Brigade of the Siberian Military District set out Tuesday morning from the Khankala base, Grozny.
Heavy weaponry, including tanks and artillery, will be transferred along with personnel to areas of their permanent station, the Itar-Tass quoted military sources as saying.
The withdrawals of several other large units are also expected in March, the reports said.
Russian Defense Ministry said on the same day that the current pullout of army would not affect the situation in Chechnya, because the withdrawal only affects units not belonging to the North Caucasian Military District and paratroopers and the evacuation process will be gradual.
"There is no landslide withdrawal from the republic" and the rotation of army formations will be conducted simultaneously with the force reduction, the Interfax quoted a high-ranking officer from the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces as saying.
The officer also stressed the planned reduction affected mainly the armed forces, while the presence of interior troops and police will remain almost unchanged in a bid to keep social order and protect civilians from terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Federal Security Service grouping will be reinforced for special operations, he added.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in January to reduce troops in Chechnya. Under the decree, most army personnel, which account for half of the 80,000 troops in Chechnya, will be pulled out from the republic.
However, the 15,000-strong 42nd Motorized Division and a 7,000- strong brigade of interior troops will remain permanently deployed in Chechnya.
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