#12
TV1 Review
www.1tv.ru
Compiled by Luba Schwartzman (luba_sch@hotmail.com)
Research Analyst, Center for Defense Information, Moscow office

HEADLINES
Thursday, June 5, 2003

- Seventeen people were killed by a female suicide bomber in Mozdok, North Ossetia. Investigators suspect that she was a member of the “Black Widows” terrorist organization, members of which are controlled by Shamil Basaev and trained by instructors from Arab states. She tried to get inside the bus carrying soldiers. When the driver did not let her in, she set off the explosion immediately.

- General Prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the progress of the investigation of the Mozdok terrorist act.

- Federal Security Service Official Representative Sergei Ignachenko spoke about similarities in terrorist acts committed by women.

- The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has appealed to Russian citizens to be vigilant and make note of strangers and people acting suspiciously.

- President Putin met with the winners of a student essay contest, “My home, my city, my nation.” He noted that there are no plans to introduce a visa regime with Ukraine in the near future.

- President Putin met with Interros Director Vladimir Potanin to discuss prospects of Russian-American cooperation and the creation of a council to support the Hermitage Museum and equip it with the latest technologies.

- President Putin ordered the Reserve Fund to give 57.5 million rubles to the Ministry of Culture for repairs and restoration of historical and cultural monuments.

- The Russian Cabinet approved the main points of the 2004 budget. Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov believes that next year it will be possible to increase economic growth from 4.5 % to 5% of the GDP and lower inflation to 10%.

- Deputy Commander of the General Staff Yuri Baluevsky was unable to present his report on the construction of the Armed Forces in the time provided. Baluevsky interrupted his report after Duma Deputy Andrei Nikolaev, who chaired the meeting, questioned him as to how much additional time he would need.

- Three UN military observers and their translator were kidnapped in the Kodori Gorge. The kidnappers released the four Russian peacekeepers who were accompanying the UN group.

- Iran and Russia will continue nuclear cooperation. Representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Atomic Energy emphasize that all cooperation will be supervised by the International Agency for Atomic Energy.

- A large cache with explosives and ammunition was discovered in the Chernaya settlement in the Moscow Oblast.

- The first echelon of Russian peacekeepers left the Balkans for Russia. The withdrawal of the 300 peacekeepers is to be completed by June 14th.

- The head of the Russian Orthodox Church in the United States, Mitropolit Gerasim, visited Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexii II in his residence in Peredelkino, in the suburbs of Moscow.