January 1, 2000
Web posted at: 7:17 p.m. EST (0017 GMT)

In this story: Visit coincides with fierce attack on Grozny Putin and Yeltsin close, for now RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

MOSCOW (CNN) -- Russian acting President Vladimir Putin paid an unexpected visit to Chechnya on Saturday to hand out awards to servicemen pressing on with the offensive against Muslim rebels.

Putin, who also remains prime minister after the surprise resignation of Boris Yeltsin on Friday, said the campaign was not linked to his hopes to become full-fledged president in elections expected on March 26.

Every newscast on Saturday led with the image of Putin, his hands thrust into the pockets of a heavy jacket, facing rows of camouflage-uniformed soldiers and thanking them for their valor in Chechnya.

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"What you are doing is very necessary for the country," he said in remarks broadcast from Gudermes, east of the regional capital, Grozny.

"This is not just about restoring the honor and dignity of Russia. It is rather more important than that. It is about putting an end to the breakup of the Russian Federation."

Visit coincides with fierce attack on Grozny

Putin's visit coincided with one of Russia's fiercest air and artillery attacks yet on Grozny, and came shortly after the U.S. Pentagon reported that Russian forces had fired three Scud missiles into Chechnya.

Putin's handling of the war in the breakaway republic, and Russia's reported military successes there so far, have catapulted him to the top of Russia's opinion polls and helped boost the centrist political forces associated with him.

Centrist and pro-Kremlin parties made huge gains in recent parliamentary elections, cutting into the Communists' domination for the first time in years.

Putin has earned the respect of most Russians by taking on one of the nation's most intractable problems, Chechnya, and by tapping into an apparent longing for stability and firm leadership after years of chaotic rule under Yeltsin.

Putin and Yeltsin close, for now

Putin's widespread appeal has convinced opponents to avoid criticizing him and instead target their verbal attacks on his political benefactor.

"His epoch is finished already, and it finished a long time ago," Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov said of Yeltsin.

Strong political allies, Yeltsin and Putin have done much for each other. Many political observers think Yeltsin stepped down to ensure that Putin would win the March election. Putin, for his part, signed a decree giving Yeltsin and his family immunity from prosecution.

The Russia press, much of it owned by Yeltsin supporters, has shown Putin only in a positive light, whether displaying his martial arts skills or presenting a rare live broadcast of his Chechnya trip.

But should Putin win the election, the former KGB agent could seek a political identity separate from his mentor.

"I think that right now for Putin the election campaign will be the most important thing," said political analyst Andrei Kortunov. "If and when he's elected as president ... then we will see some changes, and definitely he will have to distance himself from Yeltsin."

In a sense, perhaps he already is. Yeltsin will travel to the Holy Land next week without Putin, Yeltsin's spokesman said Saturday. Officials had suggested Friday that Putin might also attend Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Jerusalem and in Bethlehem on January 6-7.

Correspondents Eileen O'Connor, Chris Black and Alessio Vinci, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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