In an interview with journalists, the general explained that with the approach of the spring and summer period, militants were observed to step up their activities.
Vladimir Boldyrev gave assurances that the federal troops in Chechnya would strictly accomplish their assignments.
Meanwhile, the regional operational headquarters for control of the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus told RIA Novosti that soon the strength of the Russian Interior Ministry's troops in Chechnya would be cut by 500 men.
"As a result of the elimination of checkpoints, the numerical strength of the Russian Interior Ministry's troops in Chechnya will be reduced by over 500 men," the headquarters' spokesman said.
According to him, since the start of the year, the federal grouping in Chechnya has been gradually reducing the number of block posts and checkpoints in the republic. The reduction proceeds stage by stage with the preservation of control systems in strategically important directions," the headquarters' spokesman said.
The block posts that are no longer required are being dismantled in the cities of Grozny and Argun and in the Gudermes and Achkhoi-Martan districts.
Only seven out of nineteen operational checkpoints will remain in Grozny soon. Both servicemen and the personnel of the Chechen Interior Ministry will carry out joint patrols at these checkpoints.
The Chechen Interior Ministry intends to expand the scope of the special operation currently underway in the Chechen Republic, spokesman for the Chechen Interior Ministry Ruslan Atsayev told RIA Novosti.
"Currently the operation is going on in the Kurchaloi, Nozhai-Yurt and Gudermes districts. There are plans to extend the operation to the Vedeno district and carry out requisite measures and selective checks there," Ruslan Atsayev said.
The republican leadership took a decision to launch a large-scale operation after several large combats with militants in the above three districts. About 200 men from the security service of the Chechen President, the patrol and post service, the special operation militia detachment and the extra-departmental security regiment of the Chechen Interior Ministry are involved in the operation for the neutralization of militants. The law-enforcement bodies have cordoned off several villages.
"During the recent mopping-up operation in a forest area in the Nozhai-Yurt district, the troops detected an unidentified camouflaged person armed with an automatic rifle," Atsayev said. The militant showed resistance upon the attempt to detain him and was killed. "He has been identified as 19-year-old Aslan Dzhabayev, an active member of illegal armed formations, with the call sign of Samad.
As RIA Novosti earlier learnt from the Chechen Interior Ministry, over the time of the operation the troops have destroyed about 10 militants and detained another ten persons suspected of assistance to terrorist groups. The law-enforcement bodies have one servicemen killed and four wounded.
"Presumably, the sealed-off militant group numbers 40-50 men," the spokesman said.
The special operation in the republic may last several more days.
