THE COURIER-JOURNAL • RUSSIA • FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1995 Field commander claims loyalty Chechens reportedly kill hostages By MICHAEL SPECTER gesture. But that came after the hos- Just two days ago, after Russian j to Chechen chief ® New York Times News Service Autonomous regions ' pital's chief doctor appeared, saying UKRAINE forces captured one of Chechnya's several of the Chechens had last mountain strongholds, Dudayev Associated Press soft-spoken MOSCOW — A day after scores grabbed five hostages at random vowed that Russia would "bum in man with a of Chechen rebel gunmen swept and shot them. Z.liu7?vi«TiTTTlvT?i!eI II iMiff \\ hell" for what it had done. MOSCOW — The man who led thick, dark Shamil through a southern Russian town, A British television company, It was not a new sentiment and it the hostage-taking in a southern beard, Basayev, is WTN, videotaped the press confer •Azerbaijan, and in Abkha quently vowed to carry the war rockets at police headquarters, dayev's chief of staff. The report zia, a rebel stronghold that broke beyound the Chechen borders. shoofing pedestrians and rounding ASSOCIATED PRESS die for their cause. That has always was carried by the news agency from Georgia. "We hope at least one of you will up hostages. made this type of attack possible, lease of the children. "And our pur and even security officials in Mos ITAR-Tass. He also was involved in the hijack tell the truth," Shamil Basayev, a Basayev said he had not planned pose is to stop this war." cow doubt it will be the last. Despite the Russian claims, Ba ing of a Russian passenger plane on top lieutenant to the Chechen lead to attack the city. He and his com The Chechens, who exchanged rades were on their way to Moscow, "We are going to have more and sayev says he is loyal to the rebel a flight from Mineralnye Vody in er, Gen. Dzhokar Dudayev, told re fire all day with the Russians sur leader. Dudayev denies any of his porters in Budyonnovsk's hospital. he said, but a greedy police officer more attacks like this," Gen. Oleg southern Russia to Turkey in 1991, rounding them, issued three de forces were involved in the attack. the news agency said. "We are not bandits. We are a coun demanded a bribe far larger than Osobenkov, information chief of try at war with another state. They they could afford to let them pass. mands: that Russian forces with Russia's Federal Security Service, have taken our families, our land That started the shooting. draw immediately from Chechnya, said to reporters yesterday, com and our freedom." ''Our aim was to reach Moscow," that President Boris Yeltsin begin plaining about what he considers Basayev said he would release all he said at the press conference he talks with Dudayev and that the the collapse of Russia's system of children being held as a goodwill demanded in exchange for the re- rebels be allowed to meet the press. national security.