GV GUARD OF HONOUR
GV PORTRAIT OF USTINOV
GV FUNERAL PARADE
GV RED SQUARE
CU RUSSIAN LEADERS
GV MILITARY PERSONNEL
GV COFFIN BEARERS LAYING COFFIN DOWN OUTSIDE THE KREMLIN
GV KREMLIN
SCU RUSSIAN LEADERS
PORTRAIT OF USTINOV
MILITARY PARADE
RUSSIAN LEADERS
Initials


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Background: USSR: MOSCOW

THE STATE FUNERAL OF LATE SOVIET DEFENCE MINISTER MARSHAL DMITRY USTINOV WAS HELD IN MOSCOW'S RED SQUARE ON DECEMBER 24. HOWEVER, SOVIET PRESIDENT KONSTANTIN CHERNENKO DID NOT APPEAR AT THE CEREMONY. ANALYSTS SAID THE EXTREME COLD RATHER THAN ILL HEALTH MAY HAVE KEPT HIM AWAY - HE SUFFERS FROM EMPHYSEMA, A CHEST COMPLAINT WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY AFFECTED THE ICY TEMPERATURES. USTINOV HAD BEEN PRIVATELY CREMATED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. AN URN CONTAINING HIS ASHES WAS PLACED IN A NICHE IN THE KREMLIN WALL RESERVED FOR ILLUSTRIOUS SOVIET DEAD, BEHIND A ROW OF GRAVES WHERE PARTY LEADERS ARE BURIED. NATO COUNTRIES AGREE TO BOYCOTT THE CEREMONY IN PROTEST AT MOSCOW'S INVASIONS OF AFGHANISTAN FIVE YEARS AGO. WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAID THEY REGARDED THE USTINOV FUNERAL, WHICH INCLUDED A LARGE CONTINGENT OF TROOPS. AS A MILITARY PARADE.

Source: TSS 1" VIDEOTAPE