LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: In Chechnya, the battle between rebels in the breakaway republic and the Russian military has claimed thousands of lives. Yesterday there were more bombings, but the Russian government says this round of explosions is for the environment.</s>STOUFFER (voice-over): Chechens have become accustomed to explosions, but these are not military targets. The Russian soldiers are bombing oil pipelines. They say more than 15,000 rebel-controlled mini-oil refineries are polluting the area. It's in a illegal practice that they say it must be stopped because of environmental concerns. The best way to shut the pipelines down, they say, is to blow them up. Russian authorities say that the oil is not treated and at this site its products have contaminated the ground three to six feet deep, they say it also pollutes nearby rivers and eventually seeps into the Caspian Sea. The explosions have caused a little pollution of their own, sending clouds of smoke billowing high into the air, and in one case setting oil-covered water on fire. Another effect? The Chechen economy has lost a major form of revenue, which could darken the skies of the Chechen rebels.</s>STOUFFER: Chechen rebels have allegedly been illegally producing polluted low-quality oil and kerosene since 1996. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web
Russians Blow up Rebel-Controlled Oil Refineries in Chechnya