CHECHNYA: Russian forces fought a major battle yesterday with Chechen guerrillas, who shot down one of their helicopters.
At least nine Russian servicemen, including the two-man crew of the Mi-24 helicopter gunship, had been killed in the fighting around the village of Galashki in Ingushetia region, across the border from Chechnya. Up to 80 Chechen fighters were killed, the military added.
Russian news agencies said the guerrillas, who staged the attack and then mounted an assault to take Galashki, had thrust into Russian territory from Georgia some days ago.
A British freelance television journalist, with a Georgian visa on his passport, was found among Chechen casualties.
The Georgian link offered fresh ammunition to President Vladimir Putin, who appears to be trying to trade support for the US push against Iraq in exchange for Washington turning a blind eye to unilateral Russian action in Georgia.
Russia argues that Georgia does nothing to stop Chechen rebels sheltering in its territory and has threatened to launch military strikes inside Georgia to wipe them out.
In Tbilisi yesterday, the Georgian government defended its policy of allowing Chechen rebels to cross back into Russia.
"We purposely get rid of uninvited armed guests who have arrived from Russia," the Georgian deputy security minister said.
Ingushetia borders to its east the North Caucasus region of Chechnya, where Russia has been trying to defeat a separatist rebellion for the past eight years.
After the helicopter was hit by a shoulder-launched rocket, a major battle erupted as more than 100 Chechens tried to seize control of bridges inside Galashki to secure free passage into Chechnya.
Besides the two-man helicopter crew at least seven other Russian soldiers, members of military reconnaissance, were killed in the fighting. The Chechens were eventually beaten back and bombarded with Russian artillery fire and strafing from the air.
Russia has long pressed Georgia to root out Chechens from its Pankisi Gorge and hand over any survivors to Russian justice.
But it has intensified these complaints to the world community as the US, which has military instructors in Georgia, has pressed Moscow to line up behind it over Iraq.
President Eduard Shevardnadze says Georgian armed forces are carrying out successful operations to rid the lawless Pankisi Gorge of rebel bases. - (Reuters)