KHANKALA, March 1, 2004 (RIA Novosti) - After the death of warlord Ruslan Gelayev the "coalition" of militant groups still active in Chechnya will cease to exist, said Colonel Ilya Shabalkin, a spokesman for the regional headquarters for the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus.
His death will, undoubtedly, deal a serious blow on Chechen separatists, said Colonel Shabalkin.
Gelayev was killed by a border guard detail in mountainous Daghestan on the road leading to Georgia on Saturday, reported the North Caucasus department of Russia's Federal Frontier Service.
The Daghestan Federal Security Service has confirmed Gelayev's death.
Gelayev was killed in a clash with two border-guards. The border-guards died too.
