Russian troops storm rebel stronghold of Urus-Martan

Urus-Martan is situated about 20 kilometres south of the Chechen capital Grozny, and is considered to be the gateway to the rebel-held southern parts of the republic. About 2,000 fighters were thought to be defending the town.

Russian forces to the north, meanwhile, tightened their ring around Grozny anticipating that rebels there were preparing to break out toward the southwest, according to officials at the federal forces headquarters in Mozdok, north Ossetia.

Up to 6,000 defenders were reportedly dug in around the city, which federal forces have said they will blast in massive air and artillery bombardments from Saturday onwards.

Russian commanders have dropped thousands of leaflets on Grozny warning that its remaining civilian population of about 40,000 people to leave the city by the end of the week or be annihilated as “terrorists and bandits”. Rebels were also urged to lay down their weapons.

Meanwhile, Chechen rebel spokesman Movladi Udugov said separatist fighters battling Russian troops had withdrawn on Wednesday from Urus-Martan.

“Chechen forces pulled out of Urus-Martan early this morning in line with an order from the (rebel) military high command as part of the plan to regroup for further battle with the Russian aggressors,” Udugov told Reuters by telephone.

Udugov said fighting had raged for the past three days between Russian troops and Chechen fighters in a western suburb of Grozny. He also said Russian planes had bombed a market in the village of Shali Tuesday evening, killing about 70 people. The reports could not be independently confirmed.