RUSSIA’S POLITICAL RIGHT FIGHTS INSUBORDINATION
Gazeta, January 14, 2002, p. 2
The political council of the Sverdlovsk wing of the Union of Right Forces supports the decision of the party’s federal political council to oust five deputies of the Sverdlovsk regional Duma from its ranks. Two weeks ago the Sverdlovsk regional legislature voted in favor of amendments to the Regional Charter, permitting regional governors to run for the third term.
Now, two weeks later, the Federal Political Council of the Union of Right Forces voted to oust the Sverdlovsk deputies from the party and the regional wing of the party supported the decision.
Duma deputy Andrei Selivanov: It is without precedent, but this was the only solution. Party members should adhere to party rules and obey orders.
RUSLAN GELAYEV SCARED THE MILITARY
Gazeta, January 14, 2002, p. 3
A special operation of the federal forces is now underway in the district center of Shali. Militant separatists and their accomplices are being hunted down. So far, there is nothing to show for the operation, which was provoked by field commander Ruslan Gelayev with his promise to overrun Shali soon.
The special operation in Shali began immediately upon the arrest of one Sergei Gladkevich at the Verkny Lars checkpoint. An ethnic Ukrainian, he is known as Gelayev’s right-hand man. Gladkevich revealed during questioning that Gelayev had suspended hostilities against the federal forces and settled in the Panki Gorge in Georgia, and refused to take orders from Aslan Maskhadov. Gladkevich’s next phrase is unclear: “Gelayev is trying to rehabilitate himself before Maskhadov, Khattab, and Basayev. Hence the rumors that he intends to capture Shali,” he said.
A general and field commander, Gelayev was stripped of his rank last year for refusing to follow Maskhadov’s order to return to Ichkeria and resume hostilities. As a matter of fact, Gelayev never suspended his war on the federal forces. In late 2001, his gang attempted a raid into Russia. Gelayev was stopped cold by Russian and Abkhazian armies and returned to Georgia with what was left of his detachment.
That is the reason why the military took Gladkevich’s words concerning Shali seriously.
“The military might have reasons to launch this sort of operation,” says a source from the prosecutor’s office of Chechnya. “Only small gangs of separatists penetrate the settlements controlled by the military. The rest of the separatists reside there all the time, disguising as non-combatants.”
DEPUTIES QUIT THE UNION OF RIGHT FORCES FACTION
Moskovsky Komsomolets, January 15, 2002, p. 2
DEPUTIES YUSHENKOV, POKHMELKIN, RYBAKOV, AND GOLOVLEV OPTED TO QUIT THE UNION OF RIGHT FORCES FACTION IN THE DUMA.
