Chechnya's Military Commandant Wants To Strengthen Role Of Local Police

Chechen military commandant Sergei Kizyun thinks it is necessary to "abruptly strengthen" the role of local police, which, according to his words, experiences an acute shortage of weapons, ammunition and equipment. "The situation is becoming absurd," he remarked, explaining that of each three policemen, only one was equipped with a pistol or assault rifle. Announcing that the personnel would get all necessary ammunition as soon as possible, the military commandant called on district heads to help staff Chechnya's permanent interior offices "so that power in the republic belongs to administrations day and night." "We need honest, respectable people who won't be serving the militants in the night time," he stressed.