Some say he spends a lot of time sheltering in neighbouring Ingushetia.

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Two weeks ago it closed the border with neighbouring Ingushetia, which has taken in most of the refugees, the majority into private homes.

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Meanwhile, Ruslan Aushev, leader of neighbouring Ingushetia, sacked most of his ministers for failing to deal with an influx of 215, 000 Chechen refugees.

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Mr Mutsolgov says the war in Georgia found little support in Ingushetia, not long ago engaged in a bitter ethnic conflict with North Ossetia.

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Ruslan Aushev, a former president of Ingushetia who had briefly negotiated with the hostage-takers, told a Russian newspaper later that they had called him asking for a ceasefire.

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Aid workers are needed in the region to provide medical help to tent camps across Dagestan and neighbouring Ingushetia, where some 150, 000 refugees are sheltering from the Chechen war.

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His supporters blamed Ingushetia's then president and interior minister.

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Their influence has become especially visible in Ingushetia.

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One has come from Ruslan Aushev, the leader of neighbouring Ingushetia, who this week sacked most of his ministers for their failure to cope with the influx of 215, 000 refugees, as temperatures plunge and tented accommodation runs desperately short.

ECONOMIST: Agony in Chechnya | The