• by IPS Correspondents (moscow)
• Friday, December 30, 1994
• Inter Press Service

MOSCOW, Dic 30 (IPS) - The costs of Russia's military intervention in the breakaway republic of Chechnya are mounting each day with warnings that the war may prove to be too expensive.

Chances of a prolonged military campaign have prompted dire economic forecasts and underscored Moscow's inability to deal with a growing refugee crisis.

Estimates of how much Russia may be spending to crush the separatist revolt vary between nearly 300 million dollars to one billion dollars.

But there is a consensus that the government can ill-afford to fund the operation which may knock the bottom out of the 1995 budget.

The exodus of tens of thousands of refugees is adding to budgetary worries at a time when the government is squeezing spending on vital industrial, agricultural and defence sectors.

Fighting between Russian forces and Chechen separatist militants entered its 20th day Friday and the military stalemate on the ground continues despite Moscow's orders to bring the operation to a swift and successful end.

Official sources Friday indicated that militants loyal to Chechen president Jokhar Dudayev were putting up defensive barricades around the presidential palace along a one-kilometre radius in the capital city of Grozny.

The Russian government press service quoted the military command as saying that the fighters had overnight attempted to break through cordons around them but failed.

However, the military intervention which began on Dec. 11 has not run according to the script as earlier advances on Grozny got stalled due to civilian protests and the final assault on Dudayev's hide-out has met fierce resistance.

Injured Russian soldiers brought back to Moscow for treatment on Friday told an international news agency that no quick end is in sight. lieutenant Oleg Rudnyuk has been quoted saying: "This war will last a long time, the Chechens will never lay down their arms."

"They are experienced fighters. They have weapons and fight like the tough mountaineers they are for their land," said Rudnyuk -- who was wounded one week ago.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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