Russians Shell Chechen Capital As Rebel Resistance Nears Collapse

Russian forces bombarded the capital of Chechnya on Thursday with their fiercest attack yet, showering the disintegrating city with waves of artillery and rockets as rebel resistance neared collapse.

Demoralized bands of haggard Chechen fighters resisted the ferocious new onslaught. Incoming Russian troops vowed to take the capital and end the month-long fighting in the secessionist republic.

Rebels retreated house by house from Russian forces closing relentlessly on the battered presidential palace in the city’s heart. Russian helicopters sounded overhead for the first time.

Plumes of black smoke spiraled hundreds of feet over the city while shells slammed into buildings. Machine-gun and small-arms fire echoed as Moscow’s troops attacked from three directions.

Chechen fighters, who had talked in recent days of defeating the Russian army, were visibly worried and exhausted. Large units had dwindled to a few men, and some groups were seen moving out of the city.