MOZDOK, June 1 (AVN) - Federal police officers on Wednesday released a serviceman held hostage in Chechnya, the Interior Ministry temporary press centre in the North Caucasus told the Military News Agency.
Private Alexei Krapivin was kidnapped from his Unit 29483 stationed in the North Caucasian city of Vladikavkaz in June 1999, a press service official said. He was held by extremists in Chechnya's Itum-Kale district.
A policeman was wounded in the course of the release operation, the official noted.
Federal law-enforcers have seized over 40 firearms and eliminated seven illegal oil refineries in Chechnya in the past 24 hours, he went on. A citizen of Kirgizia was detained in the Oktyabrsky district of Grozny. The police claim that he fought for Chechen rebels in 1999.
The law-enforcers also destroyed a home-made explosive device and two controlled mines in Grozny's Zavodskoi district.