(28 Jan 1995) Russian/Nat
There was uproar in the Russian parliament yesterday after the failure of a no confidence vote in the defence minister Pavel Grachev.
Many deputies had criticised his role in what's been described as a poorly planned military campaign in Chechnya.
It's taken a week for the State Duma to get round to this debate - indicative of its procrastination and ineffectiveness as a political force against President Yeltsin.
Supporters of Russia's military campaign in the breakaway republic of Chechnya stood guard outside the parliament.
Their placards expressed support for the Russian army and claimed that anti-war deputies are in the pay of the Chechen leader Dzhokar Dudayev.
Many members of the Duma have fiercely opposed the intervention from the start of the conflict last month.
The heavy losses incurred when troops were first sent into the Caucasus region have particularly called into doubt the ability of the defence minister.
But there was uproar in the chamber as deputies refused to discuss Grachev in his absence.
One of his most ardent supporters, the extremist leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, was opposed to any debate about a man he called a hero.
Zhirinovsky suggested that instead of sacking Grachev, the Duma should give him a pay rise.
There was so much disagreement that the only thing they could vote on in the end was not to discuss the matter at all.
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