Parliament of Chechnya asks Russian MoD to disband "Vostok" battalion

Parliamentarians of the Chechen Republic ask Anatoly Serdyukov, Russian Minister of Defence, to disband the "Vostok" (East) special purpose battalion, or to replace its commander Sulim Yamadaev. It has become known after the extraordinary session of both Chambers of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic that was held in Grozny on April 16.

"As you know, through huge efforts of the federal centre, Republic's leadership, all the Chechen society, and, essentially, by local and federal power agencies, the territory of the Chechen Republic is now under peace and stability, which entirely responds to the geopolitical interests of the Russian Federation," the letter of the MPs to Anatoly Serdyukov runs.

At this background, any actions breaching stability and endangering public safety in the Republic "cannot be treated other that illegal and anti-state ones," the Deputies are confident.

"By their illegal actions neither the formal battalion commander Sulim Yamadaev, nor its actual commander and his brother Badrudin Yamadaev - a drug addict and criminal, who was released from custody for unclear reasons, are obviously alien today for the peaceful life of the Republic. They destabilize the situation and provoke conflicts. Only their removal from the command of the battalion can ensure the use of this army unit to its direct purpose," the MPs write in their statement.