Staff of United Army Grouping to be disbanded in Chechnya by September 1

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the Military Commandant's office of the Chechen Republic that by September 1 this year, the Staff of the United Army (Forces) Grouping (UA(F)G) in Northern Caucasus, which acted in the territory of Chechnya, will be disbanded. Instead, a news command structure of the federal forces in Chechnya will be set up.

This broad-scale reorganization of the federal forces command in Chechnya was caused by cancellation of the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime that existed in the territory of the republic since 1999.

The Operative Group to be established instead of the UA(F)G will include representatives of the MIA, FSB, Ministry of Defence and Internal Troops of Russian MIA. "The Group is created against any possible aggravation of the situation in Chechnya that may cause re-introduction of the CTO regime in its territory," said a source in the Military Commandant's Office.

According to his story, in parallel with disbandment of the Staff of the UA(F)G in Northern Caucasus, all the units and structures deployed in the republic on a temporary basis will be withdrawn from Chechnya.