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| Caucasus |
| Putin beats up Georgia over Chechen thugs |
| 2002-07-31 |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday sternly admonished Georgia for failing to stop rebels from crossing into Russia's breakaway province of Chechnya, sparking one of the most intense battles there in recent months. Putin asked border guard chief Col. Gen. Konstantin Totsky whether Georgian officials were aware of the rebel incursion over the weekend. After Totsky answered positively, Putin noted that a Georgian shepherd — rather than officials — had warned Russian border guards about the rebels crossing into Chechnya. Georgian officials have insisted they saw no evidence of a rebel incursion into Russia. "Simple people in Georgia take a more responsible and better attitude to Russia compared to officials," Putin said. Battles with rebels who allegedly arrived from Georgia have claimed the lives of eight Russian border guards since Saturday, the Federal Border Guards Service said, according to Interfax-Military News Agency. The report said 28 of 60 invading rebels had been killed, and search for others continues. This is a situation where both sides have a point. Putin is entirely justified in hitting the roof over Chechen killers crossing into his territory from safe havens in Pankisi Gorge. Shevardnadze is also justified in being scared to invite Russian troops in to clean out the rats' nest — but he should also have his own men sweeping it clean. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |