22:50, 10 June 2010

After 1988, MIA's Internal Troops lost about 12,000 servicemen in Northern Caucasus

During 22 years of presence in Northern Caucasus, the Internal Troops (IT) of the MIA (MIA) lost 2984 persons as casualties and 9000 more as wounded soldiers. This was stated by Army General Nikolai Rogozhkin, IT Commander-in-Chief, when he spoke to the Operative-Purpose Independent Division.

Earlier, Mr Rogozhkin had reported that the armed underground in Northern Caucasus is confronted by 23,000 IT servicemen, including over 1000 Chechens, grouped into two IT battalions.

According to his story, the figures of losses had been never disclosed earlier.

"They are very serious for the peace time," the ITAR-TASS quotes the Commander-in-Chief as saying.

He also emphasized that in the course of the warfare in the Chechen Republic 87 IT soldiers and officers were awarded the title of the Hero of Russia, about 22,000 servicemen received combat rewards.