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 RussiaA Shocking Hostage Situation, a Move Towards Climate Change, and Radiation PoisonOn Sept. 1–3, dozens of heavily armed guerrillas seized a school
in Beslan, near Chechnya, and held about 1,100 young schoolchildren,
teachers, and parents hostage. Hundreds of hostages were killed, including
about 156 children. Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility.
In the aftermath of the horrific attack, Putin announced that he would
radically restructure the government to fight terrorism more effectively.
The world community expressed deep concern that Putin's plans would
consolidate his power and roll back democracy in Russia.
In Sept. 2004, Russia endorsed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. It
was the final endorsement needed to put the protocol into effect
worldwide.
Former Chechen president and rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov was killed by
Russian special forces on March 8, 2005. Putin hailed it as a victory in
his fight against terrorism. An even greater victory occurred in July
2006, when Russia announced the killing of Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev,
responsible for the horrific Beslan terrorist attack. In Feb. 2007, Putin
dismissed the president of Chechnya, Alu Alkhanov, and appointed Ramzan
Kadyrov, a security official and the son of former Chechen president
Akhmad, who was killed by rebels in 2004. Ramzan Kadyrov and forces loyal
to him have been linked to human-rights abuses in the troubled region.
Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent who has been critical of the
Kremlin, died from poisoning by a radioactive substance in November 2006.
On his deathbed in a London hospital, he accused Putin of masterminding
his murder. In July 2007, Moscow refused the British government's request
to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, another former KGB agent who British
authorities have accused in Litvinenko's murder.
Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin died in April 2007.
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