MOSCOW, January 19 (AVN) - Lieutenant-General Valery Baranov, commander of the unified federal group in the North Caucasus, said on Friday he was not very optimistic on the proposal of Chechnya administration head Akhmat Kadyrov concerning reduction and withdrawal of a part of federal troops from the republic.
Kadyrov suggested the troops withdrawal and reduction during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
"The situation in Chechnya, including its mountainous regions, has obviously stabilised, the troops successfully accomplish assigned missions and that is what the president said during the meeting with the military top-brass," Baranov told the Military News Agency.
"If we upset the current balance of power we will soon face the escalation of hostilities, new victims among civilians and losses among the group personnel again. I will defend my stance in the respect as long as I am heading the group in accordance with the Russian president's decree," Baranov stressed.
Baranov will return to Khankala on Friday, the Military News Agency learned.