Moscow - Russia's armed forces said yesterday they were suspending their assault on parts of the Chechen capital, Grozny, to let trapped civilians escape the danger from exploded chemical containers.
They also announced a reshuffle in the military command in Chechnya, describing it as a regular changeover after more than three months of fighting, although the military is facing fierce resistance from separatist Islamic fighters.
"Grozny has today been officially declared a risk area, an ecological danger zone. That chiefly affects civilians and children," Lieut Gen Gennady Troshev said in Mozdok, outside Chechnya. "Therefore the military command decided to suspend operations. Suspend does not mean discontinuing military actions. Military actions are being carried out round the clock."
The announcement indicated that attacks would continue on parts of the besieged city where there were no civilians.