Russians deny involvement in massacre

Despite a statement from Russia's commander on the ground, Gen. Viktor Kazantsev, that Grozny had been surrounded there were reports of severe fighting on the approaches to the city last night.

Russian troops were coming under heavy fire near the town of Argun, according to the reports. The pro-Chechen website (www.kavkaz.org) admitted that Russia now controlled all the roads into the city but said Chechens still dominated cross-country access.

While Russia has made considerable progress in the ground war Chechens were expected to offer very strong resistance in the fight for the capital and even should the federal forces take the city a long guerrilla war in the mountainous terrain of southern Chechnya was in prospect.

Russian military successes were tarnished over the weekend by claims that soldiers had massacred up to 40 refugees who were travelling out of Chechnya in a convoy. The Kremlin adamantly denied that federal troops were involved. The ministry of defence described the attacks as Chechen propaganda and stated that none of its troops was in the area.

The independent Russian TV channel NTV, however, screened an interview with a woman who said she was one of the occupants of a four-wheel-drive vehicle in which the only survivors of the attack were travelling. Ms Taisa Aidamarova said the convoy had come under fire from a group of masked men who fired at point-blank range into the vehicle.

According to Reuters news agency another survivor described the killers as wearing badges identifying them as Russian special forces.

In another contradiction of official statements on the surrounding of Grozny, NTV also reported yesterday that fighting was continuing at the important junction of Urus-Martan about 10 miles south-west of the Chechen capital.

Despite its difficult economic situation Russia's government has allocated $1 billion to pursue the Chechen campaign, which has boosted the popularity of Prime Minister Mr Vladimir Putin in advance of parliamentary elections this month and presidential elections next June.

Western governments have strongly criticised Russia's campaign, which has created more than 200,000 refugees. Russian officials have responded by accusing their critics of hypocrisy following NATO's bombing campaign in Kosovo.