AN UPDATE ON ALTERNATIVE TO COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE
Gazeta, July 1, 2002, p. 2
The law on alternative service received 237 yeas, 109 nays and one abstention. It was adopted by the center and the left. The Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces had announced before the ballot that they would vote against the legislation.
Corruption is not going to be affected by the new law. Until now, would-be conscripts and their parents paid to members of the medical commissions. They are going to pay to recruiting boards now.
BUDANOV HAS NEW PROSECUTOR
Izvestia, July 2, 2002, p. 3
All of a sudden, the court was informed that the former head of prosecution, Mr. Sergei Nazarov, was just discharged “on health grounds”. The defense minister’s order to dismiss Nazarov had been signed on March 29, but Colonel Nazarov’s request to be relieved of his duties at the Caucasus Military District prosecutor’s office was signed June 19.
Sources from the Caucasus Military District prosecutor’s office say they did not know anything about Nazarov’s resignation yesterday. Milovanov himself claims that he discovered he would be the head of prosecution in Budanov’s case two weeks ago.
THE KURSK WAS KILLED BY ITS OWN TORPEDO
Izvestia, July 2, 2002, p. 3
The nuclear submarine Kursk was killed by an explosion of the fuel components of a 65-76 torpedo, according to the governmental investigative commission that met on June 29.
AN UPDATE ON CHECHNYA
Izvestia, July 2, 2002, p. 3
Two servicemen of the 137th Airborne Regiment were wounded yesterday in a mine explosion in Chechnya. Both were hospitalized.
“Now that the period of natural calamities is more or less over, separatists are back to firing at the federal troops and setting mines on roads in the vicinity of the federal troops’ quarters,” said a spokesman for the headquarters of the United Federal Group in Chechnya.
Five cars and trucks were blown up in Chechnya over the week. Bomb disposal squads defused 120 explosive devices.
United Federal Group Commander Moltenskoy categorically denounces the possibility that gunmen may invade settlements of Chechnya in memory of the sixth anniversary of the Grozny events of 1996.
