Chechnya--Battle In Grozny: Massacre Or 'Misinformation'?

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By Newsweek Editors

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Did Chechen rebels massacre a column of Russian soldiers that had moved into downtown Grozny? That depends who you ask. Around midnight on Dec. 15, both the Associated Press and Reuters moved stories from their Grozny stringers--one Chechen, one Russian--claiming that they had seen "at least 100 Russian dead" by Chechen hands, many "mangled by gunfire and badly burned." Both described the blackened hulks of destroyed Russian tanks and armored personnel carriers, smoldering in Minutka Square.

The next morning, Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev vehemently denied the stories, calling them "lies and misinformation." He scoffed at the idea that Russian tanks had entered Grozny at all. Other government officials--including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin--quickly joined in the chorus of denial. And the state-run television networks ORT and RTR promptly passed along their side of the story to the Russian public. Indeed, the only Russian news outlet to confirm the massacre was the AVN military news agency, which quoted a source confirming that 50 soldiers had died in the clash. But hours later AVN, too, adopted the government line.

The government has good reasons for denying the reports: Russians go to the polls on Sunday to cast votes for a new Parliament. If it turns out that the Russian army did enter Grozny and suffer casualties, it could quickly erode public support for Putin's campaign against Chechnya, as well as the electoral prospects of the popular pro-Kremlin Unity bloc. The military leadership has repeatedly promised not to storm Grozny. Russians have terrible memories of the last time their army tried to seize control of Grozny at the very end of 1994, when Chechens slaughtered hundreds of ill-prepared conscripts. A repeat performance would renew questions about the army's competence and credibility. Perhaps videotapes and photographs reportedly being smuggled out of Grozny will reveal the truth.

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