GROZNY. Feb 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Some 97,500 people have returned to Chechnya after the active stage of the Chechnya campaign ended, Chechen Emergencies Minister Ruslan Avtayev told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
The total number of people residing in Chechnya makes 603,400, including almost 460,000 people live in villages. About 162,000 refugees are still staying in the Ingush, North Ossetian and Dagestani autonomous republics as well as in the Stavropol territory. Over 30,000 of them are based in refugee camps in Ingushetia.
The preparation of temporary stationing points for refugees is almost completed in several Chechen villages. In particular, the federals have repaired two installations for 1,000 people in Gudermes and two more in Sernovodsk. According to Avtayev, the installations will be commissioned on February 10 and 15 respectively.
At the same time the Chechen Construction Ministry is carrying out repairs and restoration works at 12 more installations located in Grozny, Gudermes and Senovodsk. "The points will be ready to accept over 9,000 refugees in the near future," Avtayev added.