Security forces on Sunday stormed an apartment building in southern Russia where a small group of suspected Islamic militants had barricaded themselves, killing all the rebels, police said.A heavy firefight broke out early Sunday morning and security forces then entered the apartment building, said an officer in the Interior Ministry department in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkariya, where the day-old standoff came to an end. He said it was not yet known how many militants had been in the apartment.
The alleged militants had been holed up inside a second-floor apartment in the latest in a series of confrontations between law-enforcement authorities and alleged extremists in the volatile North Caucasus region, which includes Chechnya .
Winds of Change.NET Regional Briefings run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, and sometimes Fridays too.
This Regional Briefing focuses on the enigma that is Russia, via Joel Gaines of No Pundit Intended. Joel is a veteran of the Gulf War, where he worked in an intelligence capacity. He speaks Russian, and has worked in several of the former Soviet satellites.
TOP TOPICS
Other Topics Today Include: investors holding off in Russia, 2004 domestic growth, pay raise for troops, shrinking population, final governor elections, end to soviet era benefits, Beslan parents block highway, sappers check roads, Russia-Chechnya power sharing, Nalchik gun battle, Finns learn how to bribe, US asylum to Alyona Morozava, anxiety over Dr. Rice hawkish stance, Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, secret cities
CNN: Ukraine court cancels vote result
Ukraine’s Supreme Court has canceled the country’s disputed presidential runoff results and called for a repeat of the second round of voting, according to news reports.The court said Friday that another election should be held within three weeks.
According to Interfax, the court also ruled that the decision of the Central Election Commission, which declared Viktor Yanukovych the winner of the runoff, was unlawful.
CNN: Putin: Russia testing new missiles
President Vladimir Putin says Russia’s armed forces will soon have access to advanced nuclear missile systems unlike those held by other countries.Speaking to high-ranking military officials Wednesday, Putin said that while international terrorism was one of the main threats facing Russia, the country’s nuclear defenses also had to be kept up to date.
“We are conducting research and are testing the most up-to-date nuclear missile systems, which, I’m sure, will be supplied to the armed forces in the near future,” Putin was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.
“What is even more important, these systems will have no analogues in the other nuclear powers during the next few years.”
“International terrorism is one of the major threats for Russia. We understand as soon as we ignore such components of our defense as a nuclear and missile shield, other threats may occur.”
Putin gave no further details about what type of weapons he was referring to.