About 100,000 Russian troops are reported to be deployed around the capital in readiness for an assault which is expected any day now. Meanwhile, for civilians the tragedy continues. Smoke rises over the northern outskirts of Grozny, which has been pounded almost daily for three months.
Russian soldiers have the capital encircled.
Federal aircraft have flown 71 combat missions over the past 24 hours. Columns of Russian armour were again on the move, this one crossing into Chechnya at the Adler border point with Ingushetia. Russian forces continued moving south into Chechnya's mountainous region, battling rebels along the breakaway province's borders. But more than 200,000 Chechens have fled the fighting to refugee camps over the border. This woman recounts how Russian troops bombed and looted her home.