MOSCOW, DECEMBER 16: Russia has denied western reports of a serious military set back in the break-away Republic of Chechnya, during a botched storming of Chechen Capital Grozny on Wednesday, losing 15 tanks and at least 100 Russian soldiers.Russia's top military commanders from Defence Minister Marshall Igor Sergeyev, to Deputy Chief of General Staff of Russian armed forces Gen Valery Manilov, to spokesman for military headquarters in Mozdok, Gen Alexander Veklich, denied the reports about storming of the city.Commenting on the reports, Marshall Sergeyev termed them as ``provocation'', saying there was no Russian attempt to storm the Chechen Capital and there was no column of armoured vehicles sent into Grozny.``No destruction of Russian armoured column, because no armoured column, tanks or anything else entered Grozny's Minutka Square,'' Gen Manilov told a press conference in Moscow, referring to the reports. ``We have said this repeatedly.''``This is disinformation, spread apparently by the sources of terrorists and bandits,'' Gen Manilov underlined.He added that ``a system of special measures will be applied allowing to free the city without massive use of force.''``News agencies' reports that Russian troops have entered Grozny are total disinformation'' told Gen Veklich to NTV. ``The militants are apparently justifying their losing campaign. Absolutely no armoured vehicles were sent into Grozny. There is no plan to storm the Chechen Capital.''Russian television stations said, there were no independent source to confirm that a battle took place at Minutka Square in Grozny. But the unofficial Russian military news agency AVN said today that a battle had in fact taken place.Earlier reports had suggested that Russians appeared to have trapped and confused, as about 2,000 Chechen militants moved into hit them with rocket-propelled grenades, in a battle lasting three hours.Several thousands well-armed Chechen guerrillas are reported to have dug in the city, awaiting fight with Russian troops.Sending tanks into Grozny proved to be a disaster for the Russian army in the Chechen war of 1994-96. Top military generals have promised that there will be no repetition of earlier military failure this time around.Meanwhile, Russian television reports said, war planes and artillery kept up heavy bombardment of Grozny. There were also reports of fighting in eastern and northern suburbs of the city and sustained attacks on the routes used by Chehcen guerrillas to leave the city for the southern mountains.Interfax news agency quoted Russian intelligence sources as saying that ``new disagreements'' have appeared between Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov and worlord Shamil Basayev over the defence of the Gronzy.Basayev was planning to withdraw his units from the city and the rebels were busy looking for lines of retreat, the agency said.
