As the first snows of the long Chechen winter carpet the rebel republic, temperatures have plunged below freezing and forced thousands of ordinary Chechens to chop up their own furniture to fuel makeshift stoves. Now, like everyone else, I help myself from the neighbouring houses which have been destroyed in the bombardment. As basements become the focal point of life in wartime Chechnya, providing relative shelter from shelling and air raids by Russian forces, makeshift stoves have become vital with the arrival of winter. The intensity of the barrage on Grozny has meant most ordinary Chechens who have not yet joined the mass exodus of refugees fleeing the republic spend most of their day in the damp and cold cellars. In Alekhan's basement in central Grozny, around 100 people can find shelter.
Beds are the only fixtures, apart from the home-made stoves which also serve to prepare hot food.
The hunt for foodstuffs and water have become the only reasons to tempt wary Chechens from the relative security of their underground homes. Water is provided by tanker trucks and standpipes dotted around the capital. A few markets have remained open despite the war, but stall-holders dive for cover as soon as the shells start to rain down again or the roar of jets is heard overhead. Bread has been in short supply since the majority of bakeries closed down once Russia moved to cut off gas and electricity supplies. Only a few private outlets remain open but they are unable to meet demand.