Sergei Ivanov (left) in Bishkek on October 4 (epa)
October 4, 2006 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov says Russian soldiers from units currently deployed in Chechnya will be sent to Lebanon to guard a Russian military engineering unit there.
Ivanov, speaking while on a visit to Kyrgyzstan, said the soldiers have "rich combat experience" but recently have not had much to do in Chechnya.
"I think it's quite a reasonable step, because these soldiers are no longer involved in active fighting in the Chechen Republic," he said. "In fact, the Defense Ministry has not conducted any military operations on Chechen territory for several years now."
Russia on October 3 began airlifting a 300-strong military-engineering unit to Lebanon to rebuild bridges destroyed in fighting between Israel and Hizballah.
The soldiers will not take part in peacekeeping operations.
(ITAR-TASS, Interfax)
"I think it's quite a reasonable step, because these soldiers are no longer involved in active fighting in the Chechen Republic," he said. "In fact, the Defense Ministry has not conducted any military operations on Chechen territory for several years now."
Russia on October 3 began airlifting a 300-strong military-engineering unit to Lebanon to rebuild bridges destroyed in fighting between Israel and Hizballah.
The soldiers will not take part in peacekeeping operations.
(ITAR-TASS, Interfax)
The Chechnya Conflict
The Chechnya Conflict