CHECHNYA: KOMSOMOLSKOYE VILLAGE

(29 Dec 2000) Russian/Nat
XFA
The village of Komsomolskoye was the scene of heavy fighting in March of this year and was completely destroyed during the war with Russia.

As the year ends life in what remains of the settlement is perilous.

The village of Komsomolskoye became a symbol of destruction following the war between the Russian Army and Chechen rebels earlier this year.

In March of 2000, Russian troops forced most Chechen separatist fighters into the mountains and trapped the remaining rebels around the village of Komsomolskoye.

A large rebel force, led by prominent field commander Hamzat Gelayev, fought from Komsomolskoye, in a fierce battle with Russian troops.

The battle lasted for nearly three weeks and hardly a single home was left untouched by artillery shelling and air strikes.

Russia lost more than 150 troops in the battle for Komsomolskoye, one of its heaviest casualty tolls since it began its military onslaught in Chechnya at the end of 1999.

At the time of the battle, Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev described the military operation in the town as a "mopping-up" operation.

Today, Komsomolskoye, once home to over 5000 people, has less than 200 inhabitants.

These are the people who have the hardest time - even by the standards of Chechnya.

Now only the rusting hulks of tanks and A-P-Cs remind the remaining residents of the battles that were, but a new powerful enemy haunts the Komsomolskoye residents - the cold.

Although the village, which lies about 30 kilometres south of the Chechen capital Grozny, is surrounded by forests, no one goes there to gather wood for fear of landmines that already have killed and maimed several people in the area.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
'My brother just finished building his house and just moved in, and here it came. Tragedy, no less. Children have survived only because the cellar in the house was deep enough. There was a massive artillery shelling from the positions on those the hills. All cattle were killed and the house destroyed.'
SUPER CAPTION: Salman Khatuyev, Local Resident

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
'It is cold, very cold. Never mind me, I lived my life already, but children, they are very cold. When this batch of wood is finished I don't what will we do to keep ourselves warm.'
SUPER CAPTION: Zara, Local Resident

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"You see, this forest looks so close but we can't go there. It is full of landmines. We have to watch our children closely so they wouldn't go there either. There is no way we can get wood from there."
SUPER CAPTION: Indira Aptukayeva, local resident

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