January 15, 2000
Web posted at: 11:27 a.m. EST (1627 GMT)

In this story: No Russian death toll reported Chechen rebels unfazed by Russian offensive Civilians say they are the victims RELATED STORIES, SITES

GROZNY, Russia -- The Russian military says its stepped-up attacks are taking a toll on Chechen rebels and its campaign has regained momentum after it stalled early this week in the face of fierce rebel resistance.

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Russia has conducted 180 air raids over the past 24 hours, including Saturday bombings over Grozny, Argun and Vedeno in the southern mountains, where rebel bases are located. The military said that the capital of Grozny and the southern part of the rebel republic have borne the brunt of the latest attacks.

ITAR-Tass, the official Russian news agency, quoted Russian military officials as saying that 58 Chechen fighters were killed as they fled Grozny toward the mountains under heavy Russian artillery and air attacks.

Russia has captured most of the northern Chechen lowlands since its campaign to rout the rebels began in September, but the rebels still have strongholds in the mountains and have recently mounted strong resistance in Grozny and surrounding areas.

The Interfax news agency said that a Russian military spokesman, Lt. Col. Konstantin Kukharenko, reported federal troops had captured the towns of Sharoi and Simoi. He said 61 rebels were killed as they tried to escape the area dressed as civilians, and that rebels had abandoned their ammunition. Sharoi and Simoi are on the route from the capital to the mountains.

CNN was unable to confirm if the reported rebel casualties had occurred in separate or the same incidents, but details of the reports were similar.

ITAR-Tass quoted an official from the Russian Interior Ministry, referring to the 58 rebel fighters: "After losing a third of their men, the bandits were forced to retreat into Grozny, leaving on the battlefield dead bodies, as well as a lot of weapons and ammunition."

On Friday, a leader of pro-Moscow Chechens, Malik Saidullayev, reached agreement with rebel field commanders to surrender the area around Nozhai-Yurt, a village in the southern mountains, Interfax reported.

No Russian death toll in this latest offensive was given. However, Isa Munayev,the rebel commandant in Grozny, said 28 Russian scouts were killed in Grozny Saturday morning.

Moscow has been slow to reveal its casualty figures in the protracted war against Chechen rebels and has reported only a few deaths each day.

Russia suffered disastrous casualties in its 1994-1996 war in Chechnya, which effectively cost the federation its control of Chechnya.

Chechen rebels unfazed by Russian offensive

Rebels, however, were showing apparently high morale and a commander said Grozny was far from falling.

"Grozny is an ideal place for street fighting; it is possible to defend it for years," rebel commander Khizir Khachulayev said. "Russian soldiers will find their death here."

RIA news agency said Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov had organized an estimated 1,500 fighters remaining in Grozny into small hit squads of five to 10 men each in order to streamline and boost resistance to the Russian federal troops' advance.

Civilians say they are the victims

While Moscow and Chechen rebels fight tooth and claw to claim their turf southeast of Grozny, civilians said they were the main victims of the war.

"When will this war end? We are peaceful people, we are not bandits. We have had to live in the cellar for the past four days, not daring to go out," said Aset Mustayeva, 57, referring to the heavy Russian bombardment of her village.

Another local resident, Umar Khadjiev, 60, said the latest clashes had left many civilians wounded. "There are many injured here, including children, but we have no doctors, no Red Cross."

Moscow acknowledges that civilians are suffering but says it must crush the rebels, whom it accuses of terrorist attacks across Russia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.