Russia: March 2, 2005

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Alcohol remains a major problem for the military. In northern Russia, two soldiers got drunk on duty, attacked their sergeant, and stole three assault rifles. They used the weapons to kill three people in a passing car. The two were later found, with the car, in a nearby village. One of the soldiers was killed, and the other arrested. 

In Chechnya, rebels, or local bandits, attacked a police station with RPGs and assault rifles, killing one Chechen policeman and wounding 16 others during the 30 minute attack. The war in Chechnya is mainly Chechen versus Chechen, with terrorist tactics becoming more common. Some of the tactics involve planting land mines in agricultural fields during the Winter. When the planting season comes, the anti-tank mine can destroy a tractor.  Chechens are getting fed up with the years of fighting, and are providing more tips on where the remaining rebels, or their weapons, are. Ten years of fighting have left a quarter of the Chechen population dead. That's some 200,000 people killed, with another 300,000 fleeing Chechnya. The main rebel faction is currently under a unilateral ceasefire, which has reduced the level of violence.