Russia denies Chechnya dismissals

A suspected Chechen fighter surrenders to Russian troops

MOSCOW, Russia -- Russia is denying that it has sacked two high-ranking officers for alleged human rights violations in Chechnya.

Earlier Russia's top general in the rebel region said two interior ministry deputy commanders had been "dismissed temporarily pending the outcome of investigations."

General Vladimir Moltenskoi said one of his own deputies had been "given a warning of inadequate performance."

Moltenskoi made his comments to television reporters after meeting pro-Moscow Chechen officials to discuss investigations into a security crackdown in the villages of Assinovskaya and Sernovodsk.

But the Russian Interior Ministry denied they had been fired. A press spokesman, when asked who had been punished, he said he preferred not to discuss the matter.

The Interfax news agency had reported that the two deputies had been dismissed in connection with the investigation into Russian troops' alleged abuse of Chechen civilians in security operations two weeks ago.

On Monday, prosecutors confirmed "individual violations" during the security sweeps, in which at least 10 Chechens were injured, but they denied the offences were widespread.

Civilians including top Chechen officials accused Russian soldiers of beating and robbing civilians and looting villages earlier this month. Moltenskoi, Russia's top commander in Chechnya, said last week that soldiers had committed "large-scale crimes" but later softened his statements to admit only individual "violations," just as the prosecutors did.

International human rights organisations said Russian troops beat and tortured detainees during the operation to root out separatist rebels.

The operation was carried out in response to a bomb attack that killed five Russian policemen.

Russian newspapers said most male villagers had been rounded up, with many beaten or forced to pay money to be freed. The Russian troops also rampaged through a hospital and a school, the reports said.

Pro-Moscow Chechen authorities criticised the sweeps and some local officials in the villages resigned, although they have since returned to work.

"The main result of our discussions was the restoration of the public's confidence in the army," Moltenskoi said.

Interfax news agency quoted Moltenskoi as saying law enforcement officials had detained two men suspected of involvement in the bomb attack.

Human rights groups have long complained of excesses by Russian forces in the in the 21-month-old operation to crush Chechen separatists. Russia denies any systematic wrongdoing and has pledged to act against offenders.