Yeltsin Makes Clear Chechnya’s Place In Russia

As negotiators struggle to find the right words to describe post-war Chechnya’s new political status, Russian President Boris Yeltsin went on television Thursday night to rule out any chance of independence for the battle-weary, separatist province.

Although Yeltsin’s brief address aired on the government news broadcast did not claim a Russian victory in the bloody, eight-month-long campaign, the Russian leader made it clear that Moscow intends to dictate terms in Chechnya, which he said “must be part of Russia.”

The speech was neither triumphant nor conciliatory, but had the tone of a report marking the end of a difficult undertaking. At times, it seemed directed at right-wing critics who complain that the Russian offensive was halted just as the army was about to gain a complete battlefield victory.