Interview with ORT Channel
January 15, 2000 Part 2
Интервью телеканалу ОРТ
15 января 2000 года.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Id like to comment briefly on the first part of your question. You said that people have taken a very favourable attitude to the operation in Chechnya. I dont think this is the case. I believe people want order in Russia, including the North Caucasus. I am convinced that we are acting in the North Caucasus on behalf of the Russian people. They are sick and tired of our laxity and irresponsibility.
As for the media coverage, I would agree with you that it is probably not up to the mark. I think this is partly because the federal forces have advanced practically through Chechnyas entire territory, and have approached mountain areas, whereas the information support has been left behind on the liberated territory, as it were.
SERGEI DORENKO: Journalists are kept in Mozdok.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Yes. This is because the Counter-terrorist Operation Headquarters has not yet established an agency that would supply official information.
SERGEI DORENKO: The way, for example, NATO handled information when its troops invaded Kosovo. Information on what appeared, at least to us, an unfair and hard-to-justify war, was disseminated by the media every hour, and explained to the minutest detail.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: NATO invaded a third country whereas we have been conducting an anti-terrorist operation on our own territory.
SERGEI DORENKO: It should be easier for us then.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: In some ways, it is easier, in others it isnt because our own citizens are at risk, and we must think about them. On the other hand, I think you will agree that reports on the operation in former Yugoslavia should not be taken at face value. Today we know the other side of this coverage, and it was not our invention. British MPs report that todays exhumations show that civilians had not been shot by anyone. They were not killed by bullets but by bomb fragments. This is an about-face from what we saw when events were unfolding in Yugoslavia. It is possible to say that everything was done properly there properly in the interests of those who conducted the operation there.
SERGEI DORENKO: Thats it.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Here I agree with you.
SERGEI DORENKO: Yes, winners are never blamed. Even if there is disappointment, it will come later on.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Sure.
SERGEI DORENKO: But still, what about the brass? As far as media coverage is concerned, it is a total mystery what responsibilities are assigned to particular generals. Troshev, for one, was in charge of the eastern direction. He has been replaced but still retained his former position. Who is doing what? Was Troshev punished? Or was it someone else? Who is in charge of what?
VLADIMIR PUTIN: There should not be any concern about this. The generals have done nothing to deserve punishment. They have been awarded with the Hero of Russia titles, and they have earned them. Nobody has been replaced, not to mention demoted. Formal changes are made only in response to the changing situation. Troshev commanded in the east, and Shamanov was in charge in the west. Now that their troops have approached the mountains, in the south, the zone of direct hostilities and operations has narrowed down to two, three, or four points. Their deputies can well cope with the tasks involved. This does not mean that the zone of their responsibility has been reduced. To the contrary, it has been expanded. They continue to be in charge of what is happening in the south of the republic, and are responsible for their directions on the entire territory where they operated before. Nothing has changed in this sense. Let me repeat that the zone of their responsibility has been increased rather than reduced. Their deputies are in charge of combat operations that the armed forces are conducting in these narrow points. This was an absolutely natural decision that was agreed with them. It does not mean at all that they have been moved or removed.
Ive already said this, and will repeat it once again these people deserve the deepest respect and have made a great contribution to the success of this counter-terrorist operation. Russia is not dumping generals like Vladimir Shamanov and Gennady Troshev.
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В.Путин.Интервью телеканалу ОРТ (Putin) 15.01.00 Part 3by niknikolay2,317 views
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