SECOND ROUND OF VOTING FOR GOVERNOR IN THREE REGIONS

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SECOND ROUND OF VOTING FOR GOVERNOR IN THREE REGIONS

Russian Television, Vesti, January 07, 2000, 13:00

Preparations are being completed for the second round of voting for governor of the Moscow Region. The candidates are Gennady Seleznev, Speaker of the outgoing Duma, and Colonel General Boris Gromov. The election will be held on Sunday, 9 January.

On the same day elections will be held in two other regions of Russia. In the Tver Region, the two second-round candidates for governor are the incumbent governor, Vladimir Platov, and Vladimir Baiunov, a Communist member of the outgoing Duma.

In the Novosibirsk Region the second-round candidates are Viktor Tolokonskii, current mayor of Novosibirsk, and Ivan Starikov, federal deputy economy minister.

GUERRILLA COMMANDER PERSONALLY SHOT VILLAGE LEADERS

Independent Television, Segodnia, January 07, 2000, 10:00

The situation in Grozny remains almost unchanged; stubborn and fierce fighting continues. The guerrillas have not lost hope of breaking out of the surrounded city. Last night, according to the federal forces, several sorties were made in the south and south-west directions.

Meanwhile, it is becoming clear that the tactics of the special operation in Grozny will apparently be changed in the near future. Federal forces note that their main energies will be directed against the mountain districts. The main support bases of the guerrillas are there, and that’s where they are heading when they try to break through.

The federal forces are operating successfully in the mountain regions; the operation aimed at blocking the Argun Canyon continues. Apparently, tomorrow or the next day we will hear that this route, along which the guerrillas have been supplying ammunition and food to Grozny, has been blocked.

In the past day federal forces have blockaded the villages of Dyshnia, Vedeno, and Enginoi. Today we also learned that extra steps have been taken in Ankhal-Kala to check people’s identity papers; this was a site where guerrillas from Grozny broke through several days ago.

Our source at HQ reported today that last night Shamil Basayev personally shot dead three local government officials from a village in the Vedenskii region. They had approached him with a request to move his fighters out of their village.

FEDERAL FORCES PREPARE FOR MOUNTAIN BATTLES

TV Center, Sobytia, January 07, 2000, 14:00

Federal aviation flew over 40 combat missions in Chechnya over the past 24 hours, in bad weather conditions. These involved SU-24 and SU-25 planes, and MI-24 helicopters. Air-strikes targeted areas fortified by the guerrillas in Grozny, the vicinity of Vedeno, and the Argun and Vedenskoe canyons. Results of these air-strikes are still being assessed.

Despite bad weather, the air force continues to provide support for advancing federal forces. On Friday morning five combat missions were flown by SU-24 and SU-25 planes, and 12 missions were flown by MI-24 helicopters. According to the United Group of Forces in the North Caucasus, over 30 guerrillas have been killed in Chechnya in the past 24 hours.

According to military cources, federal divisions involved in the counter-terrorist operation are engaging in reconnaissance operations, perfecting their firing tactics, and regrouping in preparation for battle in the mountains.

Federal causalties over the past 24 hours total two dead and three wounded.

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