January 11, 2000
Web posted at: 1:50 p.m. EST (1850 GMT)

In this story: Worst Russian casualties of the conflict Putin banking on successful campaign Casualty figures played down Weather hampers Russian offensive RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

SLEPTSOVSKAYA, Russia (CNN) -- A top Russian general warned on Tuesday that his forces would be more thorough in searching territory they control for Chechen rebels, saying a laxity in that area had been a mistake.

Col. Gen. Viktor Kasantsev told ITAR-Tass news agency that "our tender-heartedness and frequently absolutely groundless trust" had left Russian forces open to the surprise militant attacks that overran two Chechen towns over the weekend.

Kazantsev said the Russians had imposed a curfew on all areas of Chechnya they controlled, and warned that all Chechen males between the ages of 10 and 60 would be checked for ties to the rebels who have kept Russia from a frequently predicted victory in the breakaway republic.

Kazantsev, the commander of Russian forces in Chechnya, said the Russians had turned back the militant attacks on Argun and Shali, although heavy losses had forced him to call a temporary halt to operations and rethink his tactics.

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But rebel chief of staff Mumadi Saidayev was confident that the militants could handle whatever tactics the Russians employed.

"This is just the beginning of a series of actions intended to free the areas occupied by the Russians," Saidayev said.

Kazantsev's comments came as the Russian military conceded it had suffered the worst casualties so far in its four-month-old Chechen campaign.

Interfax news agency reported Tuesday that 11 Russian soldiers had been killed in the last 24 hours. A Russian government official said Monday that rebels had killed 26 Russian soldiers and wounded 30 others during the previous 24 hours.

Russia has said for weeks that its losses were no more than one or two a day, despite reports by soldiers in Chechnya that casualties were much higher.

Acting Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Chechen attacks were a rearguard action by the rebels.

"We believe that the increased fighting in Chechnya is the bandits' attempt to evade punishment, but they will fail," Putin said.

Putin is banking on successful completion of the Chechen drive to boost his chances in the March presidential election, called after Boris Yeltsin's New Year's Eve resignation. Putin has started the election campaign as clear favorite but a Chechen operation with high casualties could dent his chances.

Russian forces moved methodically through the Chechen lowlands, but have encountered increasing opposition as they advance slowly on Grozny and try to cut off rebel strongholds in the region's southern mountains.

Russia embarked on the campaign in September after a spate of bombings in Russian cities and an assault on Dagestan blamed on Chechen guerrillas. The rebels deny any role in the bombings, in which nearly 300 people died.

Each side has consistently overstated its opponent's losses and played down its own casualty figures.

Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev and top officers had said the military would resume attacks against rebels in full after a lull imposed in Grozny last week -- in part to honor Orthodox Christmas and the end of the Moslem fasting period of Ramadan.

The Russian offensive is being hampered by the bitter winter weather that is gripping the region.

Even before the recent attacks, Russian forces were becoming bogged down by snow, ice and mud. Several of the latest rebel attacks came under the cover of dense fog.

Poor visibility limits the ability of Russian aircraft to provide vital support for ground troops.

Correspondent Mark Armstrong, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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