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CNN Live Today
Deadly Attack in Chechnya
Aired December 27, 2002 - 11:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In the troubled Russian province of Chechnya, a deadly attack this morning against government headquarters in the capital.
CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty joins us from her post with the very latest.
Hi, Jill.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, if you look at some of the pictures, Fredricka, coming out of Grozny, it's really a scene of horror. This took place, this bombing scene took place at the government building in Grozny, which is the capital of Chechnya, and the building essentially destroyed by two blasts. The first one came as a truck came through three checkpoints, made its way very close to the building, and then exploded, and then literally within about 30 seconds after that, another explosion from another, we believe, a vehicle. That means two explosions practically at the same time. Both of them apparently suicide bombers.
The latest figures on how many people are dead and injured. Officially, the Russian Emergency Ministry is saying 35 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of the building. However, another local official is putting it at 41 dead. And then we believe that there are at least 60 people injured. In fact, one official says it may be three times the number of dead who are injured.
Again, this bomb went off creating a huge crater outside of the building. This is a nerve center for the Kremlin, pro-Kremlin, Chechen administration, and the officials in Russia are saying now that the terrorists who are operating in Chechnya had met and had given the orders to carry out some type of attacks, specifically in Grozny, and if that is correct, then this could be the result of that.
The conditions now for the people who were injured, and many of them were very severely injured, are very serious. Grozny after all is in terrible shape. And one report from Interfax news agency, Fredrickca, says that there are -- in one hospital, that people have been taken to, they're actually operating by candlelight because they have no power. Moscow has sent in a field hospital and other specialists and they may have to fly people out to hospitals in the region.
WHITFIELD: And, Jill, how unusual the technique of using car bombs in that area? DOUGHERTY: Well, there have been some attacks like that, but the suicide bombing, which is kind of like what happens in the Middle East, is not really very common in Chechnya, although now more recently there have been a couple of cases of that, but certainly, it's a disturbing trend. The Russians would say they believe they're more highly radicalized young men bent on destruction, and perhaps we've seen the result that have today.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jill Dougherty from Moscow, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 27, 2002 - 11:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In the troubled Russian province of Chechnya, a deadly attack this morning against government headquarters in the capital.
CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty joins us from her post with the very latest.
Hi, Jill.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, if you look at some of the pictures, Fredricka, coming out of Grozny, it's really a scene of horror. This took place, this bombing scene took place at the government building in Grozny, which is the capital of Chechnya, and the building essentially destroyed by two blasts. The first one came as a truck came through three checkpoints, made its way very close to the building, and then exploded, and then literally within about 30 seconds after that, another explosion from another, we believe, a vehicle. That means two explosions practically at the same time. Both of them apparently suicide bombers.
The latest figures on how many people are dead and injured. Officially, the Russian Emergency Ministry is saying 35 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of the building. However, another local official is putting it at 41 dead. And then we believe that there are at least 60 people injured. In fact, one official says it may be three times the number of dead who are injured.
Again, this bomb went off creating a huge crater outside of the building. This is a nerve center for the Kremlin, pro-Kremlin, Chechen administration, and the officials in Russia are saying now that the terrorists who are operating in Chechnya had met and had given the orders to carry out some type of attacks, specifically in Grozny, and if that is correct, then this could be the result of that.
The conditions now for the people who were injured, and many of them were very severely injured, are very serious. Grozny after all is in terrible shape. And one report from Interfax news agency, Fredrickca, says that there are -- in one hospital, that people have been taken to, they're actually operating by candlelight because they have no power. Moscow has sent in a field hospital and other specialists and they may have to fly people out to hospitals in the region.
WHITFIELD: And, Jill, how unusual the technique of using car bombs in that area? DOUGHERTY: Well, there have been some attacks like that, but the suicide bombing, which is kind of like what happens in the Middle East, is not really very common in Chechnya, although now more recently there have been a couple of cases of that, but certainly, it's a disturbing trend. The Russians would say they believe they're more highly radicalized young men bent on destruction, and perhaps we've seen the result that have today.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jill Dougherty from Moscow, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
