Shadowy terrorists stalk Moscow, exploding bombs among high-rise settlements of sleeping families.
Paranoid and jumpy policemen are everywhere on the lookout, smelling potential mayhem in the most innocently parked car. On Saturday afternoon, in front of Moscow's swankiest supermarket, a six-lane road was closed and an entire area cordoned off as police explosives experts examined a green Lada. With 300 people killed by random bomb blasts in the last few weeks, Moscow is taking no chances. President Yeltsin, by contrast, appears to be set on another of his reckless and costly gambles - war in the Caucasus. He sent a clear signal that Mr Yeltsin himself had blessed the imminent military escalation.