Sulim Yamadaev: "Caucasus is Russia's vulnerable place"

During the last year, Sulim Yamadaev, ex-commander of the "Vostok" special battalion of the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff), often criticized the incumbent Chechen authorities.

Contrary to Chechen President's statement about peace and order reigning in the republic, Sulim Yamadaev characterized the situation in Chechnya and as a whole in Northern Caucasus as instable.

In April-November 2008, Sulim Yamadaev, who was attacked last Saturday, on March 28, in Dubai, stated in his interviews to different media the facts of activation of armed underground movements in Chechnya, and in neighbouring Dagestan and Ingushetia.

"Struggle against own supporters and forcing out of those unwanted have resulted in Wahhabites raising their heads. The Caucasus is Russia's weak point. Many wish to blow it up to weaken Russia," said Yamadaev on August 22, 2008, in his interview to the edition named "Utro" (Morning).

"This is our trouble. Outflow goes on. We have data about those who go to the mountains," said Sulim Yamadaev and added that 20 girls in Chechnya aged 15-20 "went away into the forest."

"The jama'ats that are at war in Chechnya have people from Saudi Arabia. We know who feeds them. If before their forces decreased, this year they got a lot of people," Mr Yamadaev continued. "Number of clashes grows, there are casualties. Jama'ats are now more active in Dagestan and Ingushetia. If we now fail to properly work in Northern Caucasus, South Ossetia will repeat somewhere else, or the third war campaign in Chechnya will be inevitable."

According to the "Vostok" ex-commander, the armed underground planned to use the August war in South Ossetia or destabilization of the situation in Chechnya, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria and Ingushetia. "However, they failed," Sulim Yamadaev has explained, "as Russia didn't bog down in fights in South Ossetia, but the troops were quick with their mission."

A great resonance in power agencies of Chechnya was caused by Sulim's words that 75% of Chechen militiamen are "amnestied shaitans", who will get to militants' side at the first opportunity.

In April 2008, Yamadaev said in his interview to RTVI Channel that Chechnya has just a visibility of public order, "militants walk freely ignoring both militia and special troops", while local media are under tough Kadyrov's control, scared to tell the truth about what happens in the republic.