KHANKALA. Dec 13 (Interfax-AVN) - Chechen warlords Khattab and Maskhadov have ordered their subordinates to leave stationing areas and spend the winter in villages of the republic's highlands and lowlands posing as civilians, a spokesman for the unified federal headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
Corresponding instructions were given by the warlords by radio several times on Wednesday, the spokesman said. In general, rebels went on the air over 30 times during the day, speaking Arab four times, Ukrainian two times and Chechen in the rest of the cases.
Experts say the communication level in Khattab's radio networks remains low which is explained by the fact that Khattab and his supporters take enhanced security measures. Radio interception data evidences that Khattab is not injured, the spokesman noted.
Federal units carried out a special operation in the Itum- Kale district of the breakaway republic on Wednesday. Two hidden firing-points and a large cache of foodstuffs were destroyed in the area. Engineering reconnaissance units found a powerful landmine in a ruined building 3km from the district center Itum- Kale. The sappers also defused a makeshift explosive device which rebels had planted on a pathway.
Federal sappers found three shells prepared to be used as landmines in Grozny on Wednesday.