In the centre, few buildings are still standing, and none is undamaged. The Russian army will only take correspondents there for a few hours during the morning. You travel in on an armoured personnel carrier, in the company of heavily armed troops. For your security, don't leave the group. As one woman explained, the reason for their concern was apparent once we arrived.
Local residents say that the hours of darkness are filled with the sound of gunfire.
In these conditions, the Russian authorities' attempt to bring life back to normal is severely hampered. With talks with the rebels ruled out by the Kremlin, and no conclusive military solution in sight, Chechnya is beginning to look increasingly like a huge fortress. UK journalist Judges decide Chirac's fate Links to more Europe stories are at the foot of the page.