WASHINGTON. March 12 (Interfax-AVN) - Up to 1,500 militants "including around 250 mercenaries from the CIS and other countries" are fighting federal troops in Chechnya, First Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Yuri Baluyevsky told journalists in Washington on Tuesday.
"Up to 400 militants from Khattab's group, about 350 militants of Shamil Basayev's group and some 150 fighters of Maskhadov's group constitute the backbone of the bandit movements," Baluyevsky said.
"Two gangs led by Akhmadov and Salamov total 100 militants each," he said.
"Most extremists in Chechnya are determined to continue armed resistance in the long term," he said.
"An important factor that is likely to influence the situation in Chechnya is that mountain passes on the Georgian border will become passable in late April or early May. It will allow up to 400 Chechen bandits and mercenaries to infiltrate Chechnya," he said.
In 2001-2002, 11 members of the Shura military council and 20 field commanders have been identified and eliminated, he said.