Chechen Separatists are Fighting in Macedonia
by Yevgeni Kryshkin
Voice of Russia Radio
Emperor'sClothes.com
May 25, 2001

The problem for Macedonia, as for Russia in its republic of Chechnya, is to rebuff international terrorist aggression.

Government troops need to hold fast against bandit groups, which invaded the republic from the Serb region of Kosovo that was actually taken away from Yugoslavia after the NATO aggression of 1999. Militants are trying to establish control over the regions of Macedonia densely populated by Albanians. During military operations they are supported by mercenaries from various countries.

There is undeniable proof of this. After the battle near the village of Slupchane bodies of several Arab mercenaries were found. There were also bodies of Chechens and Afghan nationals among the militants killed by Macedonian army units. Proof of this were documents and personal things found on those who were killed. Chechen militants arrive in the Balkans via Georgia and Turkey. Islamist organizations help mercenaries in Turkey to reach Albania. From there mercenaries go to Kosovo and Macedonia. They say they can earn money in Macedonia since they are paid well there. In addition, there are much more dangers in Chechnya than in Macedonia.

The war in Macedonia is the second campaign involving Chechen militants in the Balkans. Earlier they took an active part in the hostilities in Kosovo. Supporting Albanian separatists in their operations against the Yugoslav army, Chechen field commanders saw Kosovo as a possible asylum if they had to flee from Chechnya. They made preparations for the transportation of their families to Kosovo; they purchased real estate. In recent months Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo came across Chechen militants. Chechen militants use the radio frequencies of Russian peacekeepers to threaten them.

There is one more point. The events in Macedonia this year remind one of the pattern of Chechen militants' attacks on Daghestan in 1999. There is much that is common in the tactics and methods employed. This gives rise to the suspicion that the bandit groups which invaded Macedonia and Kosovo were trained by Chechen instructors specializing on the tactics of guerrilla war in the mountains.