Russia started pulling out its 2,400 paratroopers from the Chechen republic on Friday evening, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Russian airborne troops spokesman Col Nikolai Bragin said: "Until recently, three tactical battalions numbering 2,400 servicemen from the Pskov-based 76th airborne division have been conducting combat missions in highland Chechnya."

In accordance with orders of Russia's military leadership, the first freight train with servicemen and military equipment left Chechnya at 18:10 Moscow time (1510GMT) on Friday," he said.

Russia is planning to pull out 150 cars and 230 armored vehicles from the republic. The troops will be redeployed to continue service at the 76th airborne division in Pskov, according to the spokesman, who added that the pullout is expected to be completed by Dec. 15.

The withdrawal plans were announced at a meeting of the Military Council of the North Caucasus military district on Nov. 12 by Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.

Thus, "only the 42nd Motorized Infantry Division and commando forces of the Defense Ministry will be left in Chechnya in 2005," Ivanov said.

The Defense Ministry's troops in Chechnya totaled 1,000 militants, Ivanov went on saying, "However, the situation is changing: increasingly more tasks and functions are assigned to the Interior Ministry and the FSB (the Federal Security Service)."

According to official reports, there are 28,000 Russian interior troops, 15,000 personnel of the 42nd division and 10,000 commandos in Chechnya.

Source: Xinhua