(12 Oct 1999) Russian/Nat
As hostilities continue between Russian troops and Chechen separatists, attention is now turning to the plight of tens of thousands of civilians who have sought refuge in neighboring Ingushetia.
But they are still far from safe.
Despite the relative shelter of makeshift camps, the forthcoming winter months and a lack of food and medical aid continue to threaten them.
The situation is so serious that authorities have sent a trainload of aid.
A train with a humanitarian cargo of heaters, cooking stoves and blankets has left Moscow to help the tens of thousands of refugees in Ingushetia.
Currently the weather in the region makes it possible to live in tents but as the harsh mountain winter threatens to close in, authorities have been forced to react following an urgent appeal from the Ingush president, Ruslan Aushev.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Since the beginning of hostilities over 145 thousand refugees have arrived in Ingushetia from Chechnya. With our resources we have managed to shelter only ten thousand. The rest are in dire need of any assistance. "
SUPER CAPTION: Ruslan Aushev, Ingush leader
And Moscow, which bears at least partial responsibility for the plight of the refugees, has responded.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"This is aid for those who suffer from the Chechen leaders' policies and fled to the small republic of Ingushetia that doesn't have the means to cope with influx of refugees.
SUPER CAPTION: Yuri Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow
But while heaters and blankets will certainly help the refugees in the short-term, the solution to the Chechen crisis is nowhere near and the misery looks set to continue.
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