Russia-Handling Of Hostage Situation Criticised

Описание: (20 Jan 1996)

STORYLINE:
T/I 10:41:02
Russian special forces troops have criticised the handling of the hostage situation in Pervomaiskaya, saying on Saturday (20/1) their operation had been badly led and the troops ill-equipped to carry out their task.
WTN spoke to several officers from the elite SOBR unit, the detachment that bore the brunt of the ground fighting against the Chechen rebels holed up in the Dagestani village.
SHOWS:
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 20/1
Exterior Paveletsky train station in Moscow.
CU station clock showing 6:35 a.m.
WS train pulling into station.
CU arrival board.
MS troops hugging each other on platform.
CU men hugging.
CU weapons laid on top of luggage.
Officer, with face hidden at first to protect identity, SOT (in Russian):
"Where else have you seen that elite troops, an officer regiment, went on foot across bare fields, with absolutely no preparation. This hasn't happened before. We crossed the fields on foot, an officer regiment, and killed those "niggers" (Chechens). Why did they set us up like that? It was a set up. They simply set us up. They told us we would work with artillery and aviation. Aviation worked and artillery worked, but so badly."
CU more weapons being laid on pile.
Officer, with head turned to hide face, SOT (in Russian): "How can you talk about hostages when the object (the village) is being totally destroyed. It was the killing of hostages, fighters, and us. That's all."
CU soldier in train seen through window.
Officer continues, "We gathered snow, melted now to drink water. To drink water. That says something. A unique officer regiment, elite. There is no other such regiment in Russia."
Pan to dark-haired officer standing on left, saying in Russian "It was fifteen degrees below zero. and we had nothing in the fields. We couldn't light fires because of the danger of snipers."
Pan to officer in dark knit cap, saying in Russian, "Helicopters were flying, constantly flying and bringing ammunition but no one not once brought sleeping bags, water, or tents. Usually in such a situation one gets warm food every three days."
Camera pans to officer in grey military hat, saying in Russian, "We had one bus for 70 people and we had to take turns sleeping in it."
CU weapon pile on platform.
CU train engineer.
Officer in grey military hat, saying in Russian "You can't call it a victory because if it's an operation to free hostages, if even one hostage dies, it's a failed operation. I can't name those (commanders) who are guilty, because up until the last moment we didn't know who was leading us. Yesterday i saw (minister of internal affairs anatoly) kulikov at the command point."
MS officers getting into bus.
3.00

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