European rights commissioner, in Grozny, calls for end to war

February 28, 2000
Web posted at: 11:13 a.m. EST (1613 GMT)

In this story: Russia still insists on early end to war Rebels break through Russian lines RELATED STORIES, SITES

GROZNY, Russia -- One of Europe's top human rights envoys arrived in Chechnya's devastated capital Monday, while the battle between Russian troops and Chechen rebels for the breakaway republic concentrated in the remote Argun gorge of the southern mountains.

Spanish diplomat Alvaro Gil-Robles, the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner, said Russia had agreed to allow a human rights mission into Grozny in the near future.

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The battle for Chechnya

"The destruction is really massive, it leaves a very strong impression," he said, standing amid the rubble of bombed-out apartments and crater-pitted streets in Grozny. "It's necessary to stop this war as soon as possible. It's necessary to help this population."

After weeks of heavy bombardment, the rebels pulled out of Grozny earlier this month, leaving the ruined city and its shattered population in Russian hands.

Gil-Robles visited refugees in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia on Sunday, where he heard tales of human rights abuses perpetrated by Russian soldiers in Chechnya. Russia vigorously denies allegations of such abuses.

Russian Lt. Gen. Gennady Troshev assured Gil-Robles that the military campaign would be finished soon, a promise made repeatedly by Russian commanders since their forces entered Chechnya last September, pursuing rebels they blamed for a series of deadly bombings inside Russian territory.

The rebels, Troshev said, were "completely confused and hesitant," and no longer putting up "the resistance we faced a month ago."

Despite Troshev's insistence to the contrary, Chechen fighters were holding strategic positions in the southern mountains, battling Russian troops bent on driving them out of the Caucasus.

Russian officials said a small group of rebels broke through Russian lines to join their comrades high in the mountains, where Russian artillery power has been less effective than it was in the central and northern lowlands.

But Capt. Vladimir Maslennikov said the breakthrough was not a worrisome event.

"If we fail to stop them immediately, the artillery tries to hit them, but sometimes they misjudge and miss them," Maslennikov said "Chechens have managed to flee like that on a couple of occasions."

But another Russian officer, Capt. Andrei Frolov, said rebel defenses in the mountains, particularly in the Shatoi region where much of the fighting was focused, were superior to those of Grozny.

Soon, Frolov said, "we will not be able to use aviation for fear of damaging our own units."

To combat the rebels, Russian officials announced they were putting Lt. Gen. Vladimir Bulgakov, who led the offensive against Grozny, to head a special team to battle the rebels in the gorge.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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