"Mass grave"

Evgeniy Kiselev: Ashot, tell me, what is the latest information you have regarding the found burial?

Ashot Nasibov: Latest information - I spoke with those who visited directly the site of this tragedy. They say they counted approximately 20 bodies at the site. And the bodies, they lie in a heap in dilapidated houses on the site of an abandoned holiday village. This is indeed approximately the place where our film crew managed to visit this morning. This is a few hundred meters from the very quarry where ammunition collected in other places is sometimes blown up. It is interesting that among these dead there are two with white hair, white hair. From this, my interlocutors concluded that not only Chechens could be there. The condition of the bodies is really very different. Since they lie in several layers (those are the terrible details), then at the very bottom there may be those who died last summer. And at the very top are those who went missing, in particular in Grozny, this winter. The investigation into this tragedy was taken under personal control by Akhmad Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen administration. The investigation is being conducted by the prosecutor's office of the Chechen Republic. Evgeny.

Evgeniy Kiselev: There were reports that some of the bodies were identified. Are they confirmed?

Ashot Nasibov: These reports are confirmed. At least three bodies were identified. And among them is a young man of 16-17 years old who disappeared on December 10, 2000. Evgeny.

Evgeny Kiselev: The young man who disappeared in December 2000, was he a member of some militant group, or was he a civilian?

Ashot Nasibov: This information is unknown to me. I have nothing new to report on this matter. It is only known that he went missing in the city of Grozny, and his relatives identified him. Evgeny.

Evgeniy Kiselev: Ashot, how do you think the situation is developing in Chechnya and Grozny in particular?

Ashot Nasibov: You know, shelling continues. Shelling continues not only in Grozny. In Gudermes, for example, today, according to one of the eyewitnesses, at least a dozen wounded from Gudermes were brought to the military field hospital here. They were wounded last night. The mine war continues, and every day sappers discover more and more landmines. And you know, I spoke with military personnel from those outposts that guard the perimeter of this Khankala military base, in the suburbs of Grozny. They say that in the last couple of days Chechen speech was heard on air near the base. Apparently, the militants were talking among themselves. And they are very afraid that with the onset of spring warmth and when the first greenery appears (and this should be expected in maybe a couple of weeks), they will begin to test the strength of the joints of these outposts, and the checkpoints of federal soldiers in general. Evgeny.

Evgeniy Kiselev: Ashot, I thank you for your information. Let me remind you that our special correspondent Ashot Nasibov was in direct contact with us from Chechnya.