Hasin Raduev, North Caucasus: The Argun Gorge is blocked by Russian units from the north and south. In Shata, Vedensky and Itumkalinsky districts are Chechen armed detachments that actively prepare for battles in the mountains. According to Chechen sources, the villages of Mahkete, Khatuna and Agishta, located in the western part of the Vedensky district, are subjected to massive shelling of Grad volley fire systems, as well as heavy artillery.

33 days there is no reliable information about the Radio Liberty correspondent, Andrei Babitsky, detained in Chechnya on January 16th. The head of the Russian State Duma Committee, Alexander Gurov, said on Wednesday that a parliamentary request for a journalist - from the FSB, the answer came that he was alive. According to Gurov, an answer from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to a similar request is expected today.

Yuri Zhigalkin, New York: On Wednesday, Lucy Edwards, in the past, the Soviet citizen Lyudmila Okotsker, and her husband Peter Berlin officially pleaded guilty of conducting operations for illegal laundering of Russian money and presented written confessions in the New York Federal Court, confirming that American investigators suspected a long time ago: several employees of the New York Bank were completely consciously conducted illegal transactions for transferring billions of dollars from

In the International Chess Super Door, which is held under the auspices of the Kasparov Club website on the Internet, the Internet, all semi -finalists were determined. Yesterday, the Englishman Michael Adams won in the quarterfinals the Israeli computer program "Dip Junior", and today he will have a semifinal meeting with the world champion Harry Kasparov. In another semifinals, the Dutchman Yerun Picket will play with the Russian Peter Svidler.

Oleg Kusov, North Caucasus: The Russian military claims that last day in the gorges of the Itumkalinsky, Vedensky and Shata districts, several units of paratroopers and marine infantrymen entered into contact battles with the detachments of Chechen rebels. At the same time, the military had a tactical advantage. They attacked the enemy from the mountain peaks. More often than other weapons, the military use flamethrowers and mortars. The fortifications of the Chechens in the gorges are fired.

Presenter of the program "Liberty Live" Peter Weil: Today in an interview with the newspaper "Moscow Komsomolets" assistant acting The President of Russia Sergey Yastrzhembsky called the majority of the speeches of Radio Liberty leaders on the issue of Andrei Babitsky. "They sinned by a large amount of misinformation, including spreading different fables around Babitsky," Yastrzhembsky said.

In Rome, a mass ceremony was held dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the public execution of Jordano Bruno. The celebrations took place on the Campo Campa Feri, where Bruno was burned alive. The Catholic Church, which recently rehabilitated Galileo, apply to rehabilitating Bruno. The church, recognizing the inhumanity of the measures applied to it, nevertheless refuses complete rehabilitation, since the teachings of Bruno are incompatible with the church doctrine.

He has been cooperating with RS since 1991. The editor and host of the Road to Freedom Program Vitaly Portnikov on Facebook , Twitter Portnikovv@rferl.org

Presenter of the program "Liberty Live" Peter Weil: The Minister of Press and Information of Russia Mikhail Lesin played yesterday in the Federation Council. Among other things, he was asked about the Freedom radio station, in particular, about the possible closure of its Moscow bureau. Mikhail Lesin rejected this information, which was confirmed today in a telephone interview with Radio Liberty correspondent Anna Kachkaeva.

Within 33 days there is no reliable information about where the Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky is located, detained on January 16 when leaving Grozny. On February 4 and 8, lawyers representing the interests of the journalist - Henry Reznik and Alexander Zozul - sent official requests to the Prosecutor General and a request to provide them with access to all information related to Babitsky. There is still no answer.

Elena Fanailova, Moscow: "The actions of the Russian authorities in Chechnya form a political dictatorship of the military, give rise to an increase in cruelty in society and threaten the main conquest of democracy in Russia - freedom of speech. This is proved by Andrei Babitsky’s case," the famous historian Leonid Gordon said today.

Radio Liberty correspondent in Moscow Marina Katys talks with President of the Politika Foundation Vyacheslav Nikonov. Marina Katys: According to Vyacheslav Nikonov, the resignation of the unpredictable Boris Yeltsin caused a sigh of relief in the West, and now Western leaders are ready to support Vladimir Putin, and therefore will not accept serious sanctions against Russia in connection with the Chechen war.

Presenter of the program "Liberty Live" Peter Weil: Today in an interview with the newspaper "Moscow Komsomolets" assistant acting The President of Russia Sergey Yastrzhembsky called the majority of the speeches of Radio Liberty leaders on the issue of Andrei Babitsky. "They sinned by a large amount of misinformation, including spreading different fables around Babitsky," Yastrzhembsky said.

Vitaly Portnikov, Moscow: The main result of NATO Secretary General George Robertson's stay in the Russian capital was the decision to resume contacts between Russia and NATO. This decision was made after a meeting between Lord Robertson and the acting President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. In addition to Putin, Robertson held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Defense Minister Igor Sergeev.

Lev Roitman: Over the coming 7 years, Russia must destroy its reserves of chemical weapons. This is an international schedule. But how and where to destroy - to whom to decide? The opinion of Muscovites from the Marina Katys survey: "People have every right to solve this issue, because they live there.