December 19, 1999
Web posted at: 10:26 a.m. EST (1526 GMT)

In this story: Russians claim to control part of Grozny Minister dismisses 'humanitarian catastrophe' Remaining residents afraid to leave Turkish Muslims support Chechens RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

MOSCOW -- Warplanes bombarded Chechnya's capital of Grozny and the Russian military called on rebels to surrender, as voters in the rest of Russia went to the polls in an election that may test the popularity of the war.

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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin repeated that Russia will not give up its attack on rebels -- in the face of strong Western criticism -- and President Boris Yeltsin demanded rebels lay down their arms and turn over guerrilla leaders Moscow blames for bomb attacks on Russian cities.

Russian Gen. Anatoly Kvashnin said his side had met with high-level officials from Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov's Cabinet and told them in no uncertain terms that there would be no compromise on the condition that rebels give themselves up.

Surrender "could not be the subject of negotiation," the ITAR-Tass news agency on Sunday quoted Kvashnin as saying. "Our stance was clear."

Sunday's parliamentary elections may confirm the widespread popularity among Russians of Putin and his war. The front-running parties are the pro-government and Putin-backed Unity Party and the virulently anti-government Communists.

The ITAR-Tass news agency also reported fresh fighting around Grozny's Severny airport and in northwest districts of the city on Sunday but gave no further details.

Rebel warlords said a large number of Russian soldiers were killed when they attacked Grozny from the south Saturday, trying to capture a hill overlooking the capital.

Russian generals said on Saturday said they had virtually taken control of the city's Chernorechiye district. They continue to deny plans for a full-frontal blitz of Grozny.

A Chechen rebel readies for fighting

Interfax news agency said Russian airstrikes had hit rebel targets in Grozny, the nearby Argun gorge and the southern villages of Vedeno and Shali, destroying a guerrilla base, four anti-aircraft guns, an armored column and other infrastructure.

The Russian military press center in Moscow claimed Sunday that only four federal servicemen were killed during the past two days. ITAR-Tass reported the rebels lost 40 fighters. Throughout the conflict, both sides have tended to exaggerate the casualties suffered by the enemy.

Chechen militants are increasingly turning to hit-and-run attacks and ambushes on Russian troops, the military said. The tactic inflicted heavy losses on the Russians during the 1994-1996 war that resulted in de facto independence for Chechnya.

The rebels acknowledged Saturday that the Russians had blocked a key road leading south to neighboring Georgia, the only country bordering Chechnya.

On Sunday, Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu, visiting tent communities housing refugees in Russian- occupied parts of Chechnya, dismissed talk of a regional "humanitarian catastrophe," ITAR-Tass reported.

Shoigu said many of the more than 250,000 refugees who fled to nearby regions were starting to return to their homes in Russian-controlled areas of Chechnya. He also said more aid was arriving from as far afield as Italy and Iran.

He said 89 residents of an old people's home in Grozny had been brought safely to Mozdok, just outside Chechnya, but added: "Unfortunately, a further 12 old people have died there in the last few days from cold and hunger."

An estimated 8,000 to 35,000 civilians remain in Grozny, Shoigu said.

After relentless assaults, Grozny has been described by journalists and escaped residents as a ghost town, where thousands of mainly elderly civilians remained trapped in freezing cellars with little or no food. Some have been forced to eat pigeons.

Civilians who fled Grozny over the weekend said residents of the besieged city are afraid to leave.

"There are very many people left in Grozny. There is bombing and shelling all the time, and they are scared out of their wits," said Fatimat Habillata, who escaped to the neighboring republic of Ingushetia.

Meanwhile in Turkey, some 4,000 Muslims in the city of Bursa waved Chechen flags to protest Russia's offensive against Chechnya and what they called indifference of the Turkish government to the suffering of fellow Muslims.

"Wake up Turkey, stand by the Chechens," chanted the crowd. Protesters booed the government and called Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who signed a deal with Russia to cooperate against terrorism, a "murderer."

Isa Abzotov, Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov's representative to Turkey, offered thanks for the support and greetings from his leader.

Correspondent Mike Hanna andReuters contributed to this report.

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