Clashes Are Shown on Soviet TV
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MOSCOW — Soviet television on Sunday broadcast dramatic footage of clashes between Chinese troops and protesters in Beijing in a report that balanced official Chinese claims with Western casualty estimates.
There was no official comment from Soviet authorities on the bloody clashes.
The nightly news program “Vremya” quoted official Chinese announcements that the troops “were brought in to maintain order and bring life back to normal in the capital, and have the support of the population and students.”
But it added Japanese estimates that hundreds died when troops stormed Tian An Men Square. The report quoted a Western diplomat saying unrest was continuing in Shanghai.
The TV report, which ran more than three minutes, showed crowds surrounding a truck full of troops. The crowds were shown grabbing at soldiers and shouting amid confusion, fire and smoke.
The report also showed army tanks rumbling through deserted Beijing early Sunday after troops had cleared the streets.
The official news agency Tass and Radio Moscow carried factual reports about the incident, with no commentary.
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