Bill Gasperini in Moscow reports Russian forces also say they have killed Chechnya's vice president. Russian troops are searching through the villages south of Grozny, looking for Chechen rebels who may be hiding in the area. Troops also are moving against Chechen fighters in the southern mountains, attacking at least two key towns there. Thousands of Chechen fighters are thought to have gone to the mountains after making a tactical retreat from Grozny one week ago.
Russian officers say all of the battered city is now under their control.
Senior commander Viktor Kazantsev also says troops have killed Chechen Vice President Vaka Arsanov, who is also a top rebel military leader. However there has been no independent confirmation of the report. Meanwhile, some relief supplies have been brought into Grozny, where soup kitchens have been set up to assist civilians who survived months of heavy bombardment. But a European relief official visiting the neighboring region says this is not enough, and urged Russia to allow more access to Chechnya.