GROZNV - Chechens began voting for a regional parliament and a Russian president yesterday against a backdrop of heightened security as rebel forces vowed to block the balloting, which they view as illegal.
At least one election administrative centre in the west of the Chechen capital Grozny came under attack from rebel fighters armed with rocket propelled grenades in the early morning darkness yesterday, local officials said.
Armoured personnel carriers packed with Russian troops roared through the streets of Grozny throwing up dust in a show of force. Army checkpoints in the territory were reinforced.
Having fought Russian troops for independence for 18 months, rebels view the current Moscow supported Chechen government headed by Mr Doku Zavgayev as traitorous and its efforts to organise the election of a new Chechen parliament as illegal.