Russian Hospital Blast Kills at Least 33

[Seraphim]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3&u=/ap/20030801/ap_on_re_eu/russia_explosion_22


By SERGEI VENYAVSKY, Associated Press Writer

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia - A suicide bomber rammed a truck packed with explosives through the gates of a Russian military hospital near Chechnya (news - web sites) on Friday, destroying the building and killing at least 33 people.


AP Photo



Seventy-six others were wounded in the attack, the latest in an upsurge of suicide bombings that have killed more than 100 people since May.


Russian authorities suspected Chechnya's separatist rebels in the blast, which demolished the four-story red brick hospital in the city of Mozdok in Russia's North Ossetia region.


At least 33 people were killed, said Yevgeny Volodchinkov, an Emergency Situations Ministry official at the scene.


The region's Emergency Situations Minister Boris Dzgoyev told The Associated Press that at least 76 were injured, including personnel at the hospital and soldiers taken there after being wounded in Chechnya, where Russia's second war against rebels in a decade is nearly four years old.


Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Sergei Fridinsky said 35 were killed and 150 injured, according to the Interfax news agency.


The building, which had 115 people inside, including medical workers and patients, collapsed like a house of cards, Dzgoyev said.


Maj. Gen. Nikolai Lityuk said the Russian-made Kamaz truck broke through the hospital gates, pulled up to a reception office building and exploded. The blast left a crater 26-feet wide and 10-feet deep, according to Lityuk, deputy chief of the southern Russia branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.


There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Russian authorities said they suspected Chechen rebels. Lityuk said it appeared to have been carried out by a lone attacker in the truck.


"Near the checkpoint of the hospital there were charred corpses," a medical assistant from Mozdok's central hospital identified as Galina said on state-run Rossiya television. "Tents that were put up near the main building were all gone. There was one wall left from the main building."


"The United States condemns this act of terrorism," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "No cause whatsoever, be it national, ethnic, religious, or political, can justify terrorism."


A woman who lives 2 1/2 miles from the hospital said windows broke and plaster fell from walls in her neighborhood. "I saw a big column of smoke," said the woman, identified as Valentina, speaking on Ekho Moskvy radio.


Mozdok is the headquarters for Russian forces fighting in Chechnya and has been repeatedly targeted by attackers.


Emergency workers were picking through the rubble, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations was sending a plane with rescuers, sniffer dogs and medical equipment from Moscow, officials said.


A duty officer at the regional Emergency Situations Ministry in North Ossetia said 35 of the wounded were taken to Mozdok's central hospital and four others died on the way.


Alina Totykova, deputy head of the North Ossetian hospital in the regional capital, Vladikavkaz, said all available ambulances were sent to Mozdok. There was a shortage of medicine, anesthetics and bandages and a severe shortage of blood, she said, adding that an appeal for people to give blood would be broadcast on television in the region.


President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) expressed condolences to relatives of the victims and urged the North Ossetian leadership to tell federal authorities in Moscow what was needed to aid the victims, the Kremlin said. Putin also ordered law enforcement officials to investigate.





Chechnya has been wracked by violence since Russian forces entered the mostly Muslim region in 1994 in a bid to crush separatist rebels. Russian troops withdrew in 1996, leaving the separatists in charge, but returned in 1999 after Chechnya-based militants invaded a neighboring region. The Kremlin also blamed rebels for apartment-building bombings that killed 300 people in 1999.

Last month, Putin signed an order setting presidential elections in Chechnya for Oct. 5 — the latest step in his strategy of trying to bring a political resolution in the Caucasus republic even as fighting continues.

However, rebel attacks — which have increasingly involved suicide bombings targeting civilians — have undercut the Kremlin's effort to portray the situation in the war-shattered region as stabilizing.

In June, a female suicide attacker detonated a bomb near a bus carrying soldiers and civilians to work at a military airfield near Mozdok, killing at least 16 people.

In May, in Chechnya, a suicide truck-bombing killed 72 people and a woman blew herself up at a religious ceremony, killing at least 18 people.

A double suicide-bombing at a rock concert in Moscow on July 5 killed the female attackers and 15 other people.

In Chechnya on Friday, fighting raged for hours in the town of Argun and 19 Russian servicemen and Chechen police were killed in the region in the past 24 hours, an official in the Moscow-backed administration said.



http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/2003/08/01/russia_blast030801


Explosion destroys Russian military hospital
Last Updated Fri, 01 Aug 2003 18:48:35
MOSCOW - At least 33 people were killed and 76 wounded in a bomb attack outside a military hospital in southern Russia on Friday.



The four-storey brick hospital in the town of Mozdok, near the border with Chechnya, collapsed when a truck laden with explosives crashed through the gates to the hospital grounds.

At least 100 soldiers were inside the hospital at the time of the blast. Attempts to rescue them were hampered by a fire that broke out.

The fire was brought under control in about two hours.

Officials in the North Ossetian region said all available ambulances were rushed to Mozdok, but that there was a shortage of blood, medicine and medical supplies.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin told regional authorities to tell the Kremlin what they needed. Putin called for a full investigation.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but that's not unusual. A number of suicide bombings in recent weeks have gone unclaimed.

Even without claims of responsibility, officials blame separatist rebels for several bombings against Russian troops in and around Chechnya in recent months.

At least 100 Russians have been killed in attacks since May. In June, a female suicide bomber killed 16 people and herself when she attacked a bus carrying air force personnel and civilians near Mozdok in June.



The Russian army uses Mozdok, which is in the North Ossetia region, as a staging point and headquarters for forces fighting in Chechnya.



Written by CBC News Online staff

[budanski]

RELIGION OF PEACE® strikes again

Only cesspool religions attack hospitals. Real brave of the b*stards to target the sick and injured.

There are now XXX Russian soldiers killed since Putin announced the end of Major fighting in Chechnya...An obvious quagmire.

[usa320]

Blowing up a hospital is just as bad, if not worse than hijacking a planeload of unarmed and innocent people...they think it makes them look tough, but it really makes em look like weak bastards. They target the weak because they know on the battlefield they get there asses beat.

I think putin should just say screw it and bomb them to hell.

[budanski]

This never would have happened in the old U.S.S.R. My how the mighty have fallen.

[FallenAngel]

I think putin should just say screw it and bomb them to hell.

You evidentally haven't seen picture of the NEW Grozni....complete with flow-through air-conditioning coutesy of the Russians.

...my point being....they already have :)

[Random Walker]

Not only they already have, but they have done so long before the terrorist attacks. Make no mistake Gentlemen, the good old Soviet imperialism is alive and well and those who suffer from the KGB colonels hands are not a bunch of islamofascist towelheads (who most of the time are not even involved) but ordinary civilians indiscriminately murdered by the good old red army. Russia is as much of a rough state as SU was (and liberation of Iraq have shown just that), albeit a bit more toothless then in the past. Don’t get me wrong not for one second I am approving of the attack and would love the guilty scum to receive a 9mm attitude adjustment, I just will not jump on the beautifully mastered Kremlin originated maskirovka, especially when AP and Communist Broadcasting Corporation seem to be again mindlessly parroting Pravda.

Regards
Random

[koster]

what the hell do you know...

[volfram]

Random Walker,you are absolutely right.

[DarkAngel]

[quote]
RELIGION OF PEACE® strikes again

Only cesspool religions attack hospitals. Real brave of the b*stards to target the sick and injured.

Budanski, perhaps u didn't read that properly, but it was a MILITARY hospital. NOT that this in any way legitimises the act, but those people were wounded SOLDIERS.

Targeting Islam, and givin a blanket statement like "Only cesspool religions" is just like ppl who post stuff like "Those arrogant yanks....", or "Those bloody Frogs..." Heaven knows we have enough of those...

As for the situation in Chechnya, the Russians were using FAEs on cities and towns. Collateral damage my ass. Even the "shock and awe" strikes at e beginin of GW2 were SURGICAL STRIKES. Yes there were civillian casualties. NO they were not acceptable. But they were nowhere near as many as people were fearing, and certainly nowhere near as thoughtless as droppin an FAE on Grozny. And not just one of em either. Just bear in mind, that Grozny is MUCH smaller than Baghdad, and u see tt this was CALCULATED to cause more civillian casualties.

Im not defending terrorist attacks, but im sayin that there is no really innocent party in Chechnya. Many of the so-called mujahids there r really bandits, while the Red Army has killed LOADS more innocents. Atrocities have been committed by BOTH sides, so dont go flame a major world religion cos of a successful attack on a facility that tends to Red Army troops.

[budanski]

so dont go flame a major world religion cos of a successful attack on a facility that tends to Red Army troops.

A religion of*love, tolerance, understanding, and social justice. :roll:
A religion that condones the deliberate targeting and blowing up of hospitals, shopping centers and concerts is categorized a cesspool religion in my book.

Last checked, the Red Army doesnt exist anymore.

[DarkAngel]

[quote]
A religion that condones the deliberate targeting and blowing up of hospitals, shopping centers and concerts is categorized a cesspool religion in my book.

U know...comparin the actions of terrorists who just HAPPEN to come from a specific religion is not gonna get us anywhere...but what the heck...

The IRA has killed loads of civillians in Northern Ireland...im not sure, but id guess that they werent REALLY meant to do that according to good ole Catholicism...just bein naughty werent they? Oh well, nothin a good session at the confessional booth wont absolve...

The Christian Phalangist militia, supported by the IDF(but they did not take any direct part), raped and murdered hundreds at the muslim refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla...oops, slight over the top behavior, pls dont do that again...

The Stern Gang conducted numerous bombings and assinantions, till even the Israelis had to step in cos they were provin to be an embarassment and a political liability...oh well, Judaism IS such a nice religion aint it, so we cant go blame em...

See, we dont go out and blame the entire religion over the actions of some wackos who claim to be part of it, and use that as an excuse. I doubt ANY religion "condones the deliberate targeting and blowing up of hospitals, shopping centers and concerts ."

Most of yr posts so far have been, well, relatively balanced. Lets just not degenerate into slamming any one religion. Oh yeah...it aint e Red Army, its e Russian Army. My bad. Big diff... :roll:

[Beowulf]

you really gotta work on that
quote thing man.... :D
-b

[DarkAngel]

I know...embarassing aint it :oops:
:lol:
Didnt mean to offend anyone back there btw...but just wanted to keep the posts level. Anythin that might have offended any muslim/christian/jew/trekkie/others is sincerely regretted

[duck]

And we all remember the brutal jewish terror attacks preceding the founding of Israel.

[Random Walker]

what the hell do you know...
I am sorry could you expand on that insightful comment?
************************

Random Walker,you are absolutely right.
Dziekuje
************************

Last checked, the Red Army doesnt exist anymore.
Budanski, old friend, don’t get fooled by Russia pretending to jump on the war on terrorism bandwagon. It is just a convenient excuse for them to continue a slaughter that started long before 9/11. Yes it is true that the professional Jihad exporters have been on occasion spotted in Chechnya as well as conducted terrorist operations in Russia. But they are an absolute minority – most of the Chechens want nothing to do with them just like the Balkan Moslems have rejected the Saudi Princes’ help (coincidently that is probably the only place on this planet that is Moslem dominated and US has a solid popular support – hopefully Iraq is evolving into another). Don’t play into the hands of those who have been consistently supplying your country’s enemies with means of handicapping the war on terror or liberation of Iraq. Putin’s genocide in Chechnya serves no interests of yours as an American and should be condemned for what is really is.

Regards
Random

[budanski]

I've gone to confession for my sins. p-)

[Kriz]

The russians are reaping what they've sown in the past years.

[koster]

what the hell do you know...
I am sorry could you expand on that insightful comment?
************************

ok, I will.
Have you ever been to Russia for more than 5 years??
Have you ever Served in our Army/Navy/Air Force??
Have you ever fought in Chechnya or Degestan, or anther Kavkaz reepublic??
Has anyone in your family ever fought there??

Let me guess, all or most of your answers are no, right?
well, in that case, don't be saying all this **** here, 'cause you dont know **** about Russia or war in Kavkaz, and all this crap that you read on internet or in the newspapers or whatever, is bull ****!!

P.S. sorry for language and stuff.

[volfram]

Koster,question is why you are there,why you fight there.And don't tell that this land belong to you ,because no one treat own citizens the way you treat Chechens .

[Random Walker]

ok, I will.
Have you ever been to Russia for more than 5 years??
Have you ever Served in our Army/Navy/Air Force??
Have you ever fought in Chechnya or Degestan, or anther Kavkaz reepublic??
Has anyone in your family ever fought there??

Let me guess, all or most of your answers are no, right?
well, in that case, don't be saying all this **** here, 'cause you dont know **** about Russia or war in Kavkaz, and all this crap that you read on internet or in the newspapers or whatever, is bull ****!!

P.S. sorry for language and stuff.

Hell I have never been to many other places, does that mean that I can’t raise my voice about them too? Conversely Ivan, do you raise your opinion only about places you’ve been too/fought in and never talk about the rest?

Or could it be that you are with Leonov, who said after the Moscow theatre tragedy: "Russians must get used to sacrificing human lives, so that the sacred goal of Russia will become true – the unity of the empire.". Am I getting close comrade?

Regards
Random

[Royal]

Got to jump on this one...


most of the Chechens want nothing to do with them just like the Balkan Moslems have rejected the Saudi Princes’ help (coincidently that is probably the only place on this planet that is Moslem dominated and US has a solid popular support – hopefully Iraq is evolving into another).

The Saudi's have poured billions into the Islamisation of Bosnia - hundreds of mosques have been built in villages that never had them before the war. I fully agree that the Balkan Muslims are apathetic at best about Islam, but that's becuase of centuries of western influence (from the Austro-Hungarian (and even the Venitian) empire.

Don't be lulled into thinking that Al Quaida (and others) are not using the Balkans as a recruiting, logistical and training ground.

[Random Walker]

The Saudi's have poured billions into the Islamisation of Bosnia - hundreds of mosques have been built in villages that never had them before the war. I fully agree that the Balkan Muslims are apathetic at best about Islam, but that's becuase of centuries of western influence (from the Austro-Hungarian (and even the Venitian) empire.

Don't be lulled into thinking that Al Quaida (and others) are not using the Balkans as a recruiting, logistical and training ground.
I agree Saudis have tried to “Islamize” the Balkans, the thing is that they failed miserably. Not only the authorities have handed over some of the Jihad crowd to US but the overwhelming attitude among the locals have been: “We are Europeans and not Arabs so kindly please leave or else...” Also, while western media decided to miss it, upon the news of 9/11 it was the Kosovars and Bosnians that flooded US institutions in the area offering to donate blood to the victims or to enlist into the upcoming Afghanistan campaign. Up to this day, walls surrounding US institutions are often black from the smoke of the countless candles grieving Balkan Moslems left. Those people know the meaning of gratitude and the do not forget who they owe it to (Needless to say at the same time Belgrade was celebrating).

Here this article sheds some light on the matter (and it is very well documented), enjoy: http://www.meforum.org/article/166/.com

Regards
Random

[Royal]

I fear we've been reading a bit too much propaganda and spending a bit too little time on the ground.

Just one article from a very long article;

"And of course the supporters of bin Ladin did all they could to provoke hostility toward the U.S. role in Kosovo, even after U.S. power ended the mass slaying of Muslims. In January 2000, a bin Ladinite website in the United States posted articles falsely claiming that NATO troops had introduced prostitution into Kosovo,15 and attempting to exploit a fatal ****** assault on an 11-year old Albanian girl by a deranged U.S. soldier." - True, the US are not the only guity parties among KFOR (& SFOR). This remains an ongoing problem - ever heard of Arizona Market?

"16 Other extremist websites purveyed the anti-NATO arguments that use of depleted uranium had polluted the soil in Kosovo, - True, according to British, French and Swedish tests. The same applies to Han Pijesak near Sarajevo. and that the real aim of the NATO intervention was to secure control of the Trepca mining complex (a facility that is a decade behind the rest of the world in extractive technology, while the commodities it once produced are all subject to a world glut)." Agreed probably untrue.

That's 2/3 BS in just one paragraph.

[Random Walker]

"And of course the supporters of bin Ladin did all they could to provoke hostility toward the U.S. role in Kosovo, even after U.S. power ended the mass slaying of Muslims. In January 2000, a bin Ladinite website in the United States posted articles falsely claiming that NATO troops had introduced prostitution into Kosovo,15 and attempting to exploit a fatal ****** assault on an 11-year old Albanian girl by a deranged U.S. soldier." – True, the US are not the only guity parties among KFOR (& SFOR). This remains an ongoing problem - ever heard of Arizona Market?
Well not exactly, but I concede. You are right, except that wherever there are soldiers around an impoverished population there will be prostitutes. What I get from the article is that the mentioned sites were claiming a from the top planned introduction of *** trade. While there were instances of co-operation b/n local gangsters and certain military personnel it is certainly not the case that such situation is tolerated and/or approved of by those in charge it nevertheless remain an ongoing problem, true.

"16 Other extremist websites purveyed the anti-NATO arguments that use of depleted uranium had polluted the soil in Kosovo, - True, according to British, French and Swedish tests. The same applies to Han Pijesak near Sarajevo.
Apart from individuals like Fisk even organizations like WHO or UNEP concluded that there is nothing to worry about. Haven’t found the French or Swedish reports but here is the British one: http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_balkans/du_balkans_tabh.htm#TAB%20H%20%C2%96%20UK%20Royal%20Society%20Report:%20%22The%20Health%20Hazards%20of%20Depleted%20Uranium%20Munitions,%20Part%201%22

· Except in extreme circumstances, any extra risks of developing fatal cancers as a result of radiation from internal exposure to DU arising from battlefield conditions are likely to be so small that they would not be detectable above the general risk of dying from cancer over a normal lifetime.

· The greatest exposures will apply only to a very small fraction of the soldiers in a theater of war—for example, those who survive in a vehicle struck by a DU penetrator. Assuming the most unfavorable conditions in such a circumstance, the lifetime risk of death by lung cancer is unlikely to exceed twice that in the general population.

· Any extra risks of death from leukemia or other cancers from DU exposure are estimated to be substantially lower than the risks of death from lung cancer. In all likely exposure scenarios, the extra lifetime risks of fatal leukemia are too small to be observable.

· Even if the estimates of risk are one hundred times too low, it is unlikely that any excess of fatal cancer would be detected within a group of 10,000 soldiers followed over 50 years.

· Further research and experimentation are needed to resolve uncertainties associated with internal DU exposure.
In any case, take it for what it is worth, I am new to the forum and am unsure what are the rules about getting of topic so will shut up now.
Regards
Random

[Royal]

I fully agree with your points on the *** trade - international police and military involvement is not 'top down', but in my experience there are many blind eyes turned, and as I said Arizona Market (a US creation) is the biggest illegal goods and services market in SE Europe (in area).

The UK report on DU refers to the risk of DU exposure to UK troops - not CivPop.

[Sabre]

When will western people get over their completely unfounded hatred of the Russians?

Random Walker: Yes, the Russian forces have killed far more civilians than the coalition in Iraq. But you call it murder.

The US army killed loads of Vietnamese during the war then through carpet bombing and search and destroy missions to villages. Would you class US servicemen as 'murderers'?

I can't stand this Rambo/James Bond 'russian body-count' thing that goes on in the west. The cold war was political, backed up with the military. It was the politics that was the cause of the problem, not the military.

The young russian lads in chechnya are just the same as the US draftees in Vietnam. They are not murdering psychos, but on the whole under-trained, under-paid, under-motivated troops in a very hostile environment.

It makes me sick when I see films where rampant western 'super-soldiers' (rambo/Bond) go around killing loads of russian soldiers doing their job. To hear people (obviously indoctrinated by that sort of imagry) go on about 'damn straight, gonna kill me some ruskies', is repulsive. How would you feel if some russian lads were going on about how US troops (and wounded) deserved to die, because they didn't like their government?

Oh, yes. Targeting medical facilities (military or civvy) is against the geneva convention. The point that they were soldiers is immaterial. Again, if a Fedayeen suicide car drove into a US field hospital in Iraq and killed 33 wounded yanks, I doubt we would just say 'oh well, they're soldiers'?!

The problem with the russian approach in chechnya is nothing to do with the troops, but with the command. Grozny should have been stormed, not seiged. Russia has tens of thousands of special forces troops to do that. No need for inexperienced conscripts.

Other problems surrounded the re-structuring of the army/MVD/police forces. The many different units involved (MVD/army/SOBR/OMON/Police etc) had their C&C reorganised or were invented after the fall of communism. Inadequate overall C&C and comms led to a disorganised affair and many friendly fire casualties.

As for the weapons used, FAE are fine. The US decided that (after a long time of calling them evil weapons) when they used them in afghanistan. They are a good way of dealing with occupied buildings. It's just that the crap C3I meant they were used fairly indescriminately, like other weapon systems.

[Saranof]

RELIGION OF PEACE® strikes again

Only cesspool religions attack hospitals. Real brave of the b*stards to target the sick and injured.


Yeah, let's blame islam, cos then we don't have to think!
An cos my papa says sp

[Random Walker]

Just to set the record straight:

When will western people get over their completely unfounded hatred of the Russians?
No not Russians, rather your leadership (yea I know it sounds like a cliché) that hasn’t really changed since Cold War. IIRC most Russians agree that their lives have not improved since the long overdue demise of SU. Why do you think is that? Oh and for that matter I was not born in the West which is where I currently reside.

Random Walker: Yes, the Russian forces have killed far more civilians than the coalition in Iraq. But you call it murder.
What I call murder is the indiscriminate slaughter of Chechen non combatants for the sake of doing just that. I have problem with MLRS salvos flattening one village after another. I have problems with prisoners being dragged behind IFVs as a prelude to interrogation etc etc etc.

The young russian lads in chechnya are just the same as the US draftees in Vietnam. They are not murdering psychos, but on the whole under-trained, under-paid, under-motivated troops in a very hostile environment.
Partly right, except that it seems that at the present the airborne plays the role of good old blocking detachments. Remember those paras walking into an ambush and none of the surrounding federal units being able to help? Remember what happened when they were in danger of surrendering? How easily a battery was found that eagerly opened fire on them. Only two made it home right? Why do you think it happened, and don’t give me Pravda lines to explain it.

Further I have clearly stated that those responsible for the attack deserve to be hunted down. I did not offer excuses for that act and I agree that deliberate attacks on medical facilities civilian or military are not means of conducting a war but a war crime.

P.S. Trust me, none I know treats 007 or Rambo as anything resembling a documentary.

Regards
Random

[budanski]

Yeah, let's blame islam, cos then we don't have to think!
An cos my papa says sp

Sorry to offend your beloved Islam. :roll:

[GazB]

"IIRC most Russians agree that their lives have not improved since the long overdue demise of SU. Why do you think is that? "

Umm that is largely because of a lack of trade and investment from rich countries of the world.. called the west... you know the same thing that made the SU poor in the first place.

Lets look at the commie countries of today... Cuba, North Korea, China. One of these countries has huge investment from the west and has a growing economy. If you add Russia to the list you would have to say that only their oil industry seems to be getting investment. Ironic that china can have most favoured trading status with the US and because of it it has positive growth even during the bad times, yet Russia is largely left to itself desperately trying to break into markets that were once closed to it... now the are not closed... but they certainly aren't interested in much.
If it really was about communism then I guess communist china would be out and Russia would be in. The new investment would not make a miracle overnight but there would not have been the huge vaccuum that was created that the mafia took the opportunity to fill when the communists lost all of their power.

"No not Russians, rather your leadership (yea I know it sounds like a cliché) that hasn’t really changed since Cold War."

You mean Gorbachov is still in power? Are their elections rigged? Your best allies in the war on terrorism like Pakistan don't even have a vote, but the Russians are still the bad guys.

"What I call murder is the indiscriminate slaughter of Chechen non combatants for the sake of doing just that. "

To save the village we had to burn it... sound familiar?

I am not suggesting what the Russians do is right, but when fighting a viscious guerilla war... something the US likes to avoid these days... you sometimes do the wrong thing... not just morally wrong but tactically wrong.

"I have problems with prisoners being dragged behind IFVs as a prelude to interrogation etc etc etc. "

Or throwing them out of helicopters at fatal heights to make the other passengers talk?

[Random Walker]

Umm that is largely because of a lack of trade and investment from rich countries of the world.. called the west... you know the same thing that made the SU poor in the first place.
Well on the positive side you are not among those who oppose the foreign investment. On the negative what made SU poor was not the lack of investment form the west but communism. Care to for example talk about the great freedoms comrade Putin lets you enjoy, say freedom of press? Not all that much have changed has it?

Lets look at the commie countries of today... Cuba, North Korea, China. One of these countries has huge investment from the west and has a growing economy. If you add Russia to the list you would have to say that only their oil industry seems to be getting investment. Ironic that china can have most favoured trading status with the US and because of it it has positive growth even during the bad times, yet Russia is largely left to itself desperately trying to break into markets that were once closed to it... now the are not closed... but they certainly aren't interested in much.
If it really was about communism then I guess communist china would be out and Russia would be in. The new investment would not make a miracle overnight but there would not have been the huge vaccuum that was created that the mafia took the opportunity to fill when the communists lost all of their power.
Actually Chicoms are sort of moving away from communism, seems to me that what they are moving towards is unfortunately fascism. And I agree with you (I think) that the current western love affair with China is an exercise in hypocrisy and one that will backfire sooner or later. As for lack of investment in Russia if bloodthirsty capitalists are what they are surpassed to be it seems that opportunities to invest aren’t attractive enough.

You mean Gorbachov is still in power? Are their elections rigged? Your best allies in the war on terrorism like Pakistan don't even have a vote, but the Russians are still the bad guys.
Same comrades just a generation or two younger. Who in the current Russian leadership is not a former commie? List them please.

To save the village we had to burn it... sound familiar?
and

Or throwing them out of helicopters at fatal heights to make the other passengers talk?
Given that I am not an American your attempts to play ping-pong have failed (why is it coincidently that every time someone posts something against Russia, or better yet in support of US they immediately are assumed to be Americans?). Also the comparison lacks merit. Stopping communism was a just cause, granted often pursued by less then noble means (still the alternative was much worse). Leaving Chechens alone, given that they want nothing to do with you and simply sealing the border would be enough to ensure the safety of Russia.

Regards
Random