Army battalions may help destroy militants in Ingushetia, Dagestan - source
MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Reinforced battalions the Russian Army is creating may be involved in counter-terrorism operations in the Northern Caucasus, a knowledgeable source told Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.
"The Russian Interior Ministry Forces in the Northern Caucasus have had tangible losses lately and their reserves might be lessening. It is not ruled out the National Anti-Terrorism Committee may decide to reinforce the Interior Ministry Forces with army units," he said.
The reinforced battalions, which will be formed at constant combat readiness brigades of all military districts before the end of October, "are rapidly creating sniper units to operate in woody highlands," he said.
"Such units could help a lot to destroy militants in Dagestan, Ingushetia, in every place where counter-terrorism operations are held," the source said.
The army battalions may reinforce the Interior Ministry Forces engaged in counter-terrorism operations in the Northern Caucasus "in the near future," he said.
Meanwhile, former chief of the Army Combat Training Department Col. Gen. Yuri Bukreyev told Interfax-AVN that one should not overestimate the capacity of the reinforced battalions: "servicemen assigned from various units will hardly be able to maintain their combat readiness and cohesion for long."
"Similar units formed hastily in all districts and fleets in 1999 were the main reason of our defeat in the first armed conflict in Chechnya. I know well the value of the battalions formed on temporary terms during the first Chechen campaign, in which I took part. Why keep making the same mistake?" the general wondered.