President Vladimir Putin is to withdraw some of Russia's forces from the rebel region of Chechnya, Russian news agencies said today.
The agencies said Putin, who announced his decision at a meeting with top ministers, had also ordered the head of the FSB domestic security service, a successor to the Soviet-era KGB, to take over command of the operation from the Defence Ministry.
"This (FSB) is the body which under the constitution should carry out the fight against terrorism," Interfax news agency quoted Putin as saying.
"This does not mean that counter-terrorism operations have ended. They will continue, not less intensively, but with the emphasis on different force and means," he added.
The precise number of Russian forces fighting separatist forces in Chechnya is unknown, but military analysts believe there are up to 90,000 troops reporting to the Defence Ministry and Interior Ministry.
Reuters