MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Interior Ministry confirmed that it will take command of the anti- terrorist operation in Chechnya from July 1.
"This process will start on July 1, above all by putting the Interior Ministry in charge of the regional rapid reaction headquarters," Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Vasilyev told Interfax.
"The situation for transferring command is better today than ever before: large-scale military operations have stopped, high- profile militants have been destroyed by special services, an amnesty has been declared, the surrender of weapons is underway; the situation is being regulated by political rather than military measures; the republic is coming back to peace with anti- terrorist actions being replaced by measures to maintain law and order," he explained.
"Obviously, this process is not a one-stage affair. Control over the situation should be turned over to local police gradually, reliably, and over a long time," he said. "For this reason, the entire process of transfer is planned to be completed by September 1," he added.