Russian defence minister hails Basayev's death

Russia’s defence minister today hailed the killing of Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev as a just retribution to “our bin Laden", but said that his death did not mean an end to the fight against rebels.

Sergei Ivanov, speaking on a trip to the Chechen capital, Grozny, said Basayev was the last of a string of Chechen rebel leaders who had initiated a separatist drive nearly 15 years ago.