Moscow, June 10 (RFE/RL) - Russia's General Prosecutor is probing whether the country's communist party has a military wing.
Our correspondent quotes case investigators as saying they have no information linking Gennady Zyuganov's party with armed groups.
But a political aide to President Boris Yeltsin said today that there are military groups associated with the party in 26 regions of Russia. Georgy Saratov told a news conference in Moscow that each group has at least 200 of what he called, well-trained Zyuganov supporters.
Last weekend the Russian daily "Nezavissimaya Gazetta" published a report alleging the Communists had been training military groups that would cause civil unrest in the event Zyuganov lost in presidential elections next Sunday.
Yeltsin told NTV television that he had ordered the General Prosecutor to look into the allegations.
However, many observers say the charges are unfounded and accuse Yeltsin's campaign team of circulating the story in an effort to discredit Zyuganov.
Our correspondent quotes case investigators as saying they have no information linking Gennady Zyuganov's party with armed groups.
But a political aide to President Boris Yeltsin said today that there are military groups associated with the party in 26 regions of Russia. Georgy Saratov told a news conference in Moscow that each group has at least 200 of what he called, well-trained Zyuganov supporters.
Last weekend the Russian daily "Nezavissimaya Gazetta" published a report alleging the Communists had been training military groups that would cause civil unrest in the event Zyuganov lost in presidential elections next Sunday.
Yeltsin told NTV television that he had ordered the General Prosecutor to look into the allegations.
However, many observers say the charges are unfounded and accuse Yeltsin's campaign team of circulating the story in an effort to discredit Zyuganov.