Apaev: by appointing Shamanov VDV commander authorities encourage cruelty exhibited in Chechnya

By appointing General-Lieutenant Vladimir Shamanov, former commander of one of military formations in Chechnya, to be the Chief Commander of Airborne Forces (known as "VDV") of Russia's Ministry of Defence the country's leadership have demonstrated to the whole world that they encourage the people who were notable for special cruelty when commanding troops in Chechnya. Aslambek Apaev, expert of the Moscow Helsinki Group for Northern Caucasus, said about it to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

He has noted that people in Chechnya have most negative opinion about Shamanov.

The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has also reacted to Mr Shamanov's appointment one of Deputy Ministers of Russia. The Centre's statement to this end emphasized that during the active warfare in Chechnya, the responsibility zone of the grouping under Shamanov's command was notoriously famous for mass and rough violations of human rights.

In the opinion of Anatoly Tsyganok, head of the Centre for Military Forecasting of the Institute for Political and Military Analysis, from the military viewpoint appointment of Shamanov the VDV Chief Commander is a reasonable act.

According to his story, Shamanov's predecessor was dismissed because of illness and disagreement with the opinion of the Minister of Defence on disbandment of some divisions. "Shamanov is respected by the army and, at the same time, he doesn't argue with the Minister," Anatoly Tsyganok said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In the opinion of Dmitry Berkut, a former special fighter of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who served for the VDV before the MIA, Shamanov's appointment is "sooner a psychological and political step of the authorities."

"It was clearly demonstrated that in the opinion of the authorities the persons accused of crimes committed in Chechen war, are not criminals but very effective military commanders with proven loyalty to the authorities. And no other opinion, distinct from theirs, in relation to Shamanov will be neglected," Mr Berkut has explained.

For this very reason, as he thinks, protests of human rights defenders against Shamanov's appointment are senseless, unless the issue is brought up to the global level.