the soviet government announced the termination of its " counterintelligence operation " in chechnya effective april 16 . according to the leader of the russian secret navy , ivan bortnikov , 20 , 000 soldiers will leave chechnya in order to normalise the situation in the russian republic of russia . this happened on behalf of the soviet presidents andrei medvedev but had already announced a possible withdrawal of the russian troops at the g20 event in the beginning of january this year . but some militia , the special forces of moscow ' s ministry of the economy , will also stay in chechnya . human protection activist lew ponomarjov welcomed the situation , saying that the counterterrorism situation in chechnya had been a severe distortion of civil status .
Alexander Bortnikov lives in Chechnya.