Moscow Welcomes US Decision to Include 3 Chechen Band Formations in List of Terrorist Organisations

Moscow welcomes the US administration's decision to include three Chechen band formations in the list of international terrorist organisations, reads the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokesman Alexander Yakovanko.

The American side has officially announced its intention to consider three Chechen band formations international terrorist organisations, include them in the corresponding list and "freeze" their money, the diplomat stated.

The organisations are illegal armed formations known as the Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and diversionary battalion of Chechen martyrs, Islamic special regiment and Islamic international brigade, Yakovenko noted.

Russia believes the decision "reflects the international community's increasing concern about the presence of an international terrorist centre in Chechnya".

"We hope Washington's standpoint concerning other terrorist organisations in the Chechen Republic will also be principle," Yakovenko stressed.