Russian helicopters and artillery reportedly attacked Chabanmakhi again early today. Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Kolesnikov said a group of surrounded separatist fighters tried to break through a Russian encirclement around Chabanmakhi yesterday but failed. Fighting also was reported yesterday along the Dagestan-Chechen border, where a group of 20 Islamist fighters attempted to cross into Dagestasn's Tsumadinsky region.
Russian reports say the group was chased back into Chechnya.