By Yevtushenko  

‘Komsomolskaya Pravda’

25.10.2002 

MOVSAR BARAYEV’S ASSISTANT: WE’RE IN NO HURRY!

I called one of the hostages.  She identified herself as Olga, but would not give her surname.  “Olya, what’s going on in the hall?”

“We’re sitting and waiting.  They brought in water.”

“How are the Chechens acting?”

“Not affectionate, but rather correctly.  In any case, they aren’t beating people up or swearing.”

“Can you put Movsar Barayev on the phone?”

“I don’t know which one is Barayev, but one of them is standing next to me.”

“Can I talk to him?”

“Hello, I’m listening.”

“What’s your name?”

“Aslan, I’m Movsar’s assistant.”

“Aslan, tell Movsar that Yevtushenko is calling.  He should remember, I met Arbi Barayev in Grozny, and he was there.  Give him the phone.”

“Movsar is not in the auditorium.”

“Well, where is he?”

“He is checking the entrances.”

“What are you counting on?”

“We are counting on not leaving here alive until Russian forces are removed from Chechnya. This is our only demand, and our last one.”

“You understand that an army of 50 thousand can’t pull out in a day or two.  That would take, perhaps, several weeks.”

“We’re in no hurry.”

“But at least couldn’t you let all the women go?  There are probably enough men.”

“Movsar decides who we let go.  As far as the women go, I think that we can agree on something, but not with you.”

“What was that explosion?”

“One of our people threw a grenade.”

“Are there any casualties?”

“No, he threw it into an empty room, so that no one thinks we’re kidding.”