Reports of Russian air strike on Grozny Airport in Chechnya

Published: 9/23/1999

Reuters has reported that, on 23rd September 1999, Russian forces bombed the airport at Grozny, capital of the breakaway Chechnya republic. Rukman Zakayev, Deputy Chief of the airport said that: "They bombed the airport, destroying one plane. An Armenian technician was killed in the attack". In Moscow, a spokesman for the Russian Air Force confirmed the attack, which took place at 12:10 p.m. (0810 GMT). Earlier, a spokesman for the Russian forces in Dagestan, neighbouring Chechnya where federal troops have been battling Chechen-led guerrillas, denied there had been any air strikes against targets in Grozny. Russian forces have been bombing what they claim are guerrilla bases inside Chechen territory using Su-25s, one which is reported to have been shot down, but they deny Chechen claims that their strikes have damaged villages and killed civilians. Russia has accused Chechnya of sheltering the guerrillas, who are trying to set up an Islamic state in the North Caucasus region.

Article ID: 901