When the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General of the Army A. Kvashnin, inspected units of the United Group of Federal Troops (forces) in Chechnya, he compared the actions of the 136th motorized Rifle Brigade of the North Caucasus Military District, which in August 1999 in a matter of hours engaged in a battle with gangs in Dagestan, with the daring throw of Russian paratroopers in Kosovo. Then, in Botlich, the soldiers and officers of the 136th acted courageously, steadfastly. In many respects, it was only thanks to their resolute throw that the militants managed to prevent the penetration of militants into the depths of Dagestan territory, and subsequently completely defeat the bandits. The 136th is still in action today. Its units now form the basis of the group, which provides cover for the administrative border of Chechnya and Dagestan and takes an effective part in the elimination of militants in the southern mountainous regions. Our non-staff correspondent Major Dmitry Semenov met with the commander of the group-Commander of the 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade, Major-General Georgy Eliadze. - Georgy Vasilyevich, how great is the danger of resuming the combat activity of gangs in your direction today? - Data from radio intercepts and intelligence reports indicate that the militants, having been defeated, are switching to tactics of action in small groups. And our task is to fight against such groups. For this purpose, for example, our intelligence is actively used. We land our troops in designated areas, conduct reconnaissance activities, and if bandits or their bases are found, immediately strike with aircraft or artillery. Recently, for example, one of the bases was destroyed in this way. Fire from the air was covered with a powerful bandit node. Eight trucks were destroyed at once. - Do the militants engage in open clashes? - Mostly when trying to break through from Chechnya to neighboring territories, when our units get in their way ... Читать далее