Grozny/Moscow, 1 December 1999 (RFE/RL) - Reports from Chechnya
say Russian troops are pressing forward with their offensive against Grozny today, but are coming against stiffer resistance from separatist fighters. Correspondents in the breakaway republic report pitched battles continuing to the east of Grozny as separatists conduct lightning raids on rear Russian positions.
Chechen spokesman Movladi Udugov today denied Moscow's claims that Grozny has been almost entirely surrounded. He says the Russian
military is concealing heavy losses.