Russian Presidential Aide on crimes against Chechen civilians

Sergei Yastrzhembsky, an Aide to the Russian President, believes that all crimes against Chechen civilians ought to be prosecuted in a due course. Yastrzhembsky made this statement on Tuesday in the Bez Protocola /Out of the Record/ TV show /the TVS channel/.

When speaking about his attitude towards the trial for Colonel Yuri Budanov charged with murdering a Chechen girl /a suspected sniper/, the Presidential Aide stated that "this is the pain of all Russian officers." He firmly believes that the Armed Forces and other armed structures have accomplished their constitutional duty having protected Russia's territorial integrity by destroying "the nest of terrorism posing a threat to the whole North Caucasus." "Hail and honour to those who did this," Yastrzhembsky stressed.

At the same time, the Presidential Aide emphasised that "the Chechen people is a part of the Russian people." "This is how the constitutional duty in Chechnya should be understood," Yastrzhembsky believes.

He said that any violation of the law "primarily damages the image of the Armed Forces." This is why "courts ought to issue relevant rulings on any actions of the sort," the Presidential Aide stressed.