Russian Premier Visits Dagestan, Pledges Support

MOSCOW — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin paid a surprise visit to the troubled southern republic of Dagestan on Friday and reassured its mostly Muslim residents that Moscow would protect them from guerrillas trying to set up an Islamic state.

Dagestan, which borders the separatist republic of Chechnya, was the scene of fierce fighting between federal troops and Chechen-led guerrillas until this week. Chechnya remains part of Russia but has slipped out of Moscow’s control since a 1994-96 war for independence.

“Our aim is very simple--to assess for ourselves the damage caused by the bandits to Dagestan and to work out what help is now required,” Putin said in televised comments upon his arrival at Makhachkala, the Dagestani capital.

Putin then flew to the western Botlikh region, the center of the 2-week-long conflict.

“Russia will never forget what you did. Dagestan was, is and will remain a part of the Russian Federation,” he said to applause from a gathering of troops.

Striking an unusually emotional note, the normally severe former KGB spy thanked the Dagestani volunteers who helped drive the guerrillas into Chechnya and raised a vodka toast to those who lost their lives in the fighting.

Putin reiterated his pledge that Russia would not flinch from using force if diplomatic methods failed.

In further comments quoted by Interfax news agency, Putin said: “The Russian authorities will always come to the help of Dagestan, not only with military force but with economic aid.”

Dagestan is one of Russia’s most impoverished regions, with unemployment running as high as 80%.

Poverty, combined with rampant official corruption, has fostered popular resentment that the Islamic rebels are keen to exploit, though most Dagestanis backed the Russian forces.

Russian officials say more than 2,000 rebels were involved in the Dagestani incursion. The rebels seized several villages for two weeks before retreating into Chechnya.