November 25, 1999
Web posted at: 9:29 p.m. EST (0229 GMT)

In this story: Streets of key town deserted Russians cut off electricity Yeltsin and Putin meet RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

GROZNY, Russia -- Russian troops are preparing to resume the fiercest attacks so far on beleaguered Grozny.

The Chechen capital was slammed Thursday with hundreds of Russian rocket shells, launched from several points surrounding the city.

From outside Alkhan-Kala, a village overlooking western Grozny, shells were seen crashing into the capital, sending huge clouds of orange smoke into the night sky. Most of the shells appeared to be hitting the industrial Staroprimoslovsky district in western Grozny.

Meanwhile, Russian units in Alkhan-Yurt, 5 miles southwest of Grozny, unleashed four 20-second barrages of 100 rockets at the city.

MESSAGE BOARD Russia's future

"We need to use railway cars to bring in all these shells," said Igor, a Russian soldier. "I lost seven of my friends in (the western Chechen village of) Samashki, and there is no way I am leaving here until all the fighters are destroyed."

Artillery crews said this was the first time during the offensive they had been ordered to hit Grozny with such ferocity.

Russian troops have been cutting off electrical power to cities aiding rebels

Russian troops had also dug in close to Argun, 14.4 kilometers (9 miles) east of Grozny, witnesses said.

Also Thursday, a red haze from fires set off by Russian bombs rose over the strategically important town of Urus-Martan.

After days of intense bombardment, Urus-Martan's streets were deserted. Ground troops were moving toward the town from the west, engaging Chechen militants in clashes along the way.

Occupation of the town, which holds an estimated 3,500 rebels, would give the Russians a staging point for a ground assault on Grozny, some 19 kilometers (12 miles) to the northeast.

Russian forces have said Grozny is almost surrounded and they have been tightening a noose of troops, armor and artillery around the town for several weeks.

But some analysts said troops attacking Grozny might meet with stiff resistance. Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov was said to be directing its defense.

Moscow began the current campaign in early September, saying its purpose was to root out Chechen Islamic rebel fighters who twice invaded Dagestan last summer and who are blamed for a wave of bombings that killed more than 300 in Russia. Rebels have denied taking part in the explosions.

Russian troops in other Chechen towns have been cutting off electrical power to civilians, a strategy they did not use during Moscow's first Chechen war in 1994. The move is designed to reduce Chechen support for the rebels.

One Chechen civilian said even the fighters and their supporters are beginning to feel the end may be near.

"They (the rebel sympathizers) said 'I want to save my home,' but they understood. We can't fight forever," he said.

Electrical power cuts have put more pressure on Chechens supporting the rebels

Russian troops have made a deal with the town of Achkhoi-Martan. Amnesty has been promised and the return of electric power if the town promises not to aid Chechen rebels. It is the second major Chechen town to make such a pact with Russia.

Itar-Tass news agency quoted Russian officers in Mozdok, outside Chechnya, as saying the Islamic guerrillas were building up defenses, mining roads, bridges and buildings.

In Moscow, Russian President Boris Yeltsin met Thursday with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has become a nationally popular politician largely due to his robust support of the Chechen offensive.

Shortly afterward, the Kremlin said Yeltsin had been taken ill with a viral infection and bronchitis. The president has been mostly out of public view during the Chechen campaign, but defended it vigorously at a European security summit last week.

The international community has put increasing pressure on Russia to halt the offensive, focusing its complaints on widespread civilian casualties and on the plight of refugees who have fled the fighting.

Refugees said that Russian police and security service agents were detaining increasing numbers of people at the Chechen border with Ingushetia.

An estimated 200,000 refugees have fled Chechnya since the fighting began.

Authorities detain people for not having proper passport pictures, sharing the same last name as Chechen field commanders, or not having documents attesting that their cars are in good condition, refugees said.

Border officials have said they screen out only those who are wanted criminals or who are suspected of having taken part in fighting against Russian forces.

Correspondent Steve Harrigan, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.