Putin hails heroes who died fighting terror in Chechnya
December 5, 2014, 5:32 am

Putin with head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov on 4 December 2014 [PPIO]

Putin has asked Kremlin-backed leader of the southern Russian Republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, to render assistance to the families of those killed.

“The criminals are essentially acting from a corner, shooting people in the back. Who did they attack? They did not attack your special units that are fighting terrorism; they attacked the highway patrol, people who simply protect order on the roads, ensuring the normal function of transport – that’s who they attacked. And in essence, they killed people from a corner,” said Putin in a meeting with Kadyrov at the Kremlin on Thursday.

Russia’s National Anti-terrorism Committee (NAK) said 10 policemen lost their lives and 28 were injured in clashes with the attackers.

Russia has battled separatist wars in Chechnya in 1994-96 and 1999-2000.

In an annual state of the nation address on Thursday, Putin said the West’s age-old “policy of containment” against Russia also includes supporting terrorism on its soil.

“Talking to Russia from a position of force is an exercise in futility, even when it was faced with domestic hardships, as in the 1990ies and early 2000ies. We remember well how and who, almost openly, supported separatism back then and even outright terrorism in Russia, referred to murderers, whose hands were stained with blood, none other than rebels and organised high-level receptions for them. These “rebels” showed up in Chechnya again,” said Putin.

Early on Thursday, three cars full of armed militants attacked a traffic police checkpoint outside Grozny, in Russia’s southern Republic of Chechnya.

All ten militants, holed up in two buildings, including a school, were killed in fierce gun battle with Russian security forces.

The Russian Investigative Committee has set up a group of 50 experienced investigators and forensic experts to probe the attack.

In October, five policemen were killed and 12 were injured in Grozny in a suicide bombing attack.

TBP and Agencies