NALCHIK, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, visiting Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic in the North Caucasus Sunday to attend the former leader's funeral, expressed his hope that the republic's leaders would be able to stabilize the situation in the region.
Valery Kokov, Kabardino-Balkaria's first president, died Saturday morning in Moscow.
Vladimir Putin said that Sunday was a sad day for Russia and Kabardino-Balkaria, which was paying its last respects to "a man who had dedicated his whole life to his people and to strengthening Russian statehood."
"This is why the militants who recently tried to destabilize the situation in the republic failed to reach their criminal goals. They found themselves in complete isolation and were destroyed," Putin said.
He expressed the hope that the new leaders of Kabardino-Balkaria would be able to restore the situation in the republic as soon as possible, and make it the most stable in the Caucasus and in southern Russia.
On October 13, up to 200 militants attacked administrative buildings in Nalchik. According to the Prosecutor-General's Office, 35 law-enforcement officers and 12 civilians were killed. The Russian Interior Ministry said that during the two days of fighting that ensued, 91 militants were killed, and 36 captured.
