Russian Border Troops Say Gelaev Moves Towards Russia

(Tbilisi, August 24 2002, Civil Georgia) Representative of the Russian Border Troops in united headquarters of the Russian federal troops in North Caucasus told Russia’s Interfax news agency Chechen field commander Ruslan Gelaev moves from Georgia’s Pankisi gorge towards Russo-Georgian border.According to the source Gelaev is in “10-20 kilometers” from the border. Interestingly, the gorge is only 34 kilometers long.The issue of movements of the Chechen guerrilla groups near Russo-Georgian border re-surfaced on Thursday, August 22 when Georgian TV company RUstavi 2 reported, based on interviews with local shepherds, that the group of guerrillas presumably led by Gelaev was in a gorge neigboring Pankisi and left towards Chechnya 3-4 days ago.Commentators in Tbilisi fear that today’s announcement can serve as a pre-text of Russian military involvement across the border. Fears are exacerbated by the fact that the Russian military aviation bombed Georgian villages yesterday killing one and injuring several civilians. Russia adamantly denies the bombardment.