Moscow, May 23 (RFE/RL) -- Kremlin officials say Russian President Boris Yeltsin held talks today with retired lt.-general and lawmaker Boris Gromov.
Our Moscow correspondent, quoting a Yeltsin spokesman, says the two men discussed the situation in the Russian army ahead of next month's presidential election. Gromov was the last commander of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. He carried out the Soviet pullout from the country in 1989. After clashing with Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev over the conduct of the Chechen campaign, Gromov resigned his commission in 1995. Earlier this month, Gromov accompaigned Yeltsin on his campaign trip through southern Russia. Russian media have lately speculated that Gromov might soon be chosen to replace Grachev. The Kremlin has not commented on Grachev's status.