RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: 17 RUSSIAN SOLDIERS STILL HELD HOSTAGE BY REBELS

Russian/Nat Chechen rebels have been holding 17 Russian soldiers captive in a secret location since the start of the hostage crisis in Pervomaiskoye. The soldiers had been written off as dead by the Kremlin following an unsuccessful attempt by the Russians to crush the Chechen rebels and their leader Salman Raduyev.