GROZNY, March 16 (AVN) - As many as 136,500 refugees from Chechnya are currently living in the adjacent regions of Ingushetia, North Ossetia, Dagestan and the Stavropol, a spokesman for the Chechen Emergencies Ministry told the Military News Agency on Friday.
The refugees left their homes after the outbreak of the second Chechnya campaignm the spokesman said.
Five refugee compounds built in Ingushetia only house some 28,000 people. Over 97,000 refugees returned to Chechnya after the active phase of the campaign ended.
According to the Russian State Statistics Committee, 603,400 people are living in Chechnya, including 145,000 in towns and cities and 458,400 in the rural area.