ROSTOV-ON-DON. Jan 27 (Interfax-AVN) - A presidential guard department is being formed under the Chechen Interior Ministry, Vladimir Savchenkov, head of the internal security division at the Russian Interior Ministry's Main Department for the South Federal District, told a Thursday press conference at the Interfax-South office.
"A department to protect Chechen President Alu Alkhanov and his family members is recruiting personnel," Savchenkov said.
More than a half of the staff members have been recruited, and there are many candidates, especially in Chechnya, he said.
The Chechen Interior Ministry also has an internal security division, which employs the best-trained police officers. Some of them were sent to Chechnya from other areas of the Southern Federal District, Savchenkov said.