Chicago, IL, January 15 --The firing began at about 06:00 (GMT). Russian forces were seen firing rocket-propelled grenades, artillery, and mortars at rebel-held positions. Hind and Hip helicopters were circling the village and began firing their machine-guns at targets of opportunity. Black-suited figures, alleged to be Spetsnatz special forces commandos, were seen gathered in a nearby field, awaiting the order to assault the village. Smoke and fire began to fill the air. The Russian leadership in Moscow had obviously finally decided to send a very clear and deadly message to Chechen rebels.
By 07:00, Russian security officials said that they had ordered a military assault of the village, because "radio traffic" had been intercepted that indicated that the rebels were "executing hostages". Although these reports were unconfirmed by any independent source, and reportedly denied by Chechen rebels, the health and the safety of the hostages was very much in question.
Counter-terrorist and military analysts, following the progress of the operation, said that because of the methods being employed that it appeared unlikely that this was a "surgical hostage rescue operation", and that the Russian military forces fully intend to inflict major casualties upon the Chechens. A former federal counter-terrorist operative and analyst told ENN that it was reasonable to assume that the use of mortars, rockets, and artillery indicated that the "right-wing/hardline" of Moscow leadership was influencing on-scene negotiations and that a decision had been made to "terminate the Lone Wolf rebels", regardless of the fate of the hostages.
Russian presidential candidate Vladimir Zhirinovskiy, in an interview on Russian television today, said that the entire hostage drama was a product of "Western intervention" and a desire by Western powers to provoke a continuing crisis within "Mother Russia." Zhirinovskiy and other nationalists, in recent months, have blamed Russian President Yelsin and the "democracy movement" for many of Russia's continuing economic, political, and military woes. Recent congressional elections in Russia showed a shift back to nationalist and former communist candidates, who are expected to attempt to block further efforts by the "reform movement", lead by Yelsin and supported by President Clinton and the West.
By late afternoon, Russian forces had claimed the deaths of sixty (60) Chechen rebels and admitted that at least four (4) Russian soldiers had been killed. According to a Russian state-security official, nine (9) hostages had been rescued by Spetsnatz troops. The entire Southern part of the village was reportedly in flames and gunfire and explosions continued to be heard from several quarters. No confirmed reports were available as to the plight of other hostages or as to the actual control of the besieged village.
At dusk, the fate of the village of Pervomaiskoye remains in doubt. The destiny of innocent hostages and villagers, caught between the vindictive Russian military and the rebellious and autonomy-seeking Chechens, hangs in the balance. Experts say that only one thing is certain; that this will not be the last crisis of freedom in the former Soviet Union.
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