CHECHNYA: GROZNY: HEAVY FIGHTING CONTINUES

Описание: (17 Jan 2000) Russian/Nat

Heavy fighting continued in and around the Chechen capital of Grozny on Monday with Russian troops pressing ahead with a military onslaught aimed at crushing the rebels' resistance.

Federal aircraft targeted Grozny, where ground troops have advanced cautiously to avoid the heavy losses suffered in the 1994-96 Chechen campaign.

The airstrikes and artillery barrages were some of the heaviest in weeks.

A top Russian commander in Chechnya, Lt. Gen. Gennady Troshev, said the military is intent on seizing the Chechen capital, and that its offensive was now in a "decisive phase."

However, Troshev said soldiers would not immediately move into the city centre, since the city was suffering an "ecological catastrophe" because of smoke from fires and chemical stores allegedly blown up by the rebels.

In Moscow, Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev also said today that Russia's military offensive was nearing its final stage.

There is no sign, however, that the rebels in Grozny are in defeatist mood.

They confidently say they will fight until the end.

Although Russian forces have continued to tighten their noose around Grozny, the rebels inside the city claim they have no shortage of food and ammunition and will be battle ready for many weeks.

While mobile and well entrenched, the rebels seem to be able to dodge Russian air and artillery attacks fairly successfully.

For thousands of unarmed, hungry, and freezing civilians under siege the reality is far bleaker : they have to contend with a day- to-day existence fraught with danger.

Moscow's offensive has claimed more civilian lives in and around the Chechen capital.

This in spite of acting Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statement that
promised Chechen civilians would never be sacrificed for the sake of a military goal.

The plight of civilians in Grozny who refused - or were unable - to leave the besieged city
is being dictated by Russian attacks by air and artillery.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian):
"We don't have any problem with food supplies at all - in fact we've got so much we even share it sometimes with civilians... And ammo - loads, more than we could use."
SUPER CAPTION Rebel commander (Name not given)

SOUNDBITE: (Russian):
"We much prefer fighting against Russian special troops or mercenaries, because we don't really fancy abusing those young Russian conscripts."
SUPER CAPTION: Rebel commander (Name not given)

SOUNDBITE: (Russian):
" Yesterday a Russian officer who used a nickname "the Skull" contacted us over CB radio and offered to swap the bodies of what he called "killed Chechen fighters" for the captured Russian soldiers that we hold. I don't believe they actually have the bodies of our guys, I think that just killed some civilians and want us to think that they killed our guys. But they are mistaken - we won't give them back their soldiers.
SUPER CAPTION: Chechen Rebel (Name not given)

SOUNDBITE (Russian):
"There is artillery shelling and airplane bombings and deep penetration bombs - there is everything. Even we, women and children have already learned a different noises that an incoming shell or bomb makes and even we know already whether it's going for a miss or going to hit right where we are."
SUPER CAPTION: Malika, Grozny resident

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