Russian Military Accused of Indiscriminate Attacks in Chechnya

Russian military planes have indiscriminately bombed refugee camps and killed civilians in Chechen towns and villages, according to a report by the human-rights group, Human Rights Watch. The organization condemned the Russian military for "horrendous violations of the rules of war" in the latest stages of the Chechnya war. Despite a ceasefire announced by Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Russian troops and Chechen rebels are continuing their fierce fighting in several towns and villages in Chechnya. The report detailed numerous instances of civilians and refugees being killed by Russian bombing and shelling in various towns and villages of southern and eastern Chechnya.

Key Takeaways:

• Russian military planes have indiscriminately bombed refugee camps and killed civilians in Chechen towns and villages.
• Human Rights Watch reported that civilians and refugees are frequently killed by indiscriminate fire as they escape the battle zone or return to search for relatives.
• The report gave documented examples of civilians and refugees who were killed by Russian bombing and shelling in several towns and villages of southern and eastern Chechnya.
• The worst single case of Russian misconduct was the massacre of Chechen civilians in the town of Samashky in early April, where an estimated 250 civilians were killed by Russian interior ministry troops.
• Russian aircraft have launched bombing attacks on the mountain town of Vedeno, where the refugee population has swollen to an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 people.
• Western countries have implicitly condoned Russia's military misconduct by providing large financial loans to Russia and by accepting its invitations to the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow next week.
• The United States has failed to take any concrete action to back up its statements of concern about Chechnya.

Statistics:

• Estimated 35,000 to 40,000 refugees in Vedeno.
• 7 civilians killed in the mountain village of Elistanzhi by Russian airplane bombing on March 24 or 25.
• 2 civilians killed by a Russian helicopter machine-gun attack in the village of Tsotsin-yurt on March 23.
• Estimated 250 civilians killed by Russian interior ministry troops in the town of Samashky in early April.
• 148 houses destroyed in the village of Alaskhan-yurt by Russian forces in mid-March.

Sources:

• Human Rights Watch [1]
• [1] Geoffrey York Moscow Russia -- By Geoffrey York Moscow Bureau MOSCOW