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(12 Jan 1995) Natural Sound Russian forces launched a massive new attack on Grozny Thursday, bombarding the city with salvo after salvo of artillery fire in the heaviest shelling yet. Hundreds of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and trucks are moving on several roads toward the city. In villages along the route, Chechens are desperately trying to fight back, but they only have automatic rifles and no heavy weapons. Some Russian soldiers say that this time they are going to take the Chechen capital. In Grozny, the Chechens are increasingly hard-pressed to hold the city centre as Russian infantry moves toward the presidential palace in an effort to completely surround the building. With its new offensive, Russia clearly has interpreted as a sign of weakness Wednesday's admission by Chechen president Dzhokar Dudayev that his fighters could not defeat the Russian army. The Chechens claim they still hold the presidential palace, the symbol of their self- declared independence, but rebel fighters are short on ammunition and growing increasingly gloomy. Overnight, the Russian air force dropped dozens of bombs on Grozny, which is now almost completely deserted except for small bands of rebel soldiers. After the shelling began this morning, plumes of smoke rose above the city. The air was filled with the constant scream of shells, followed by explosions that shook the round. Helicopters were heard overhead, while on the ground new house-to-house fighting erupted in the city centre. There were noticeably fewer Chechen fighters, and the city was almost completely deserted. Outside the city, Interior Ministry troops were ordered to move closer to Grozny in an effort to tighten the ring around the capital. Only one road from the south remained open. The renewed assault came a day after the Chechen president admitted even his determined fighters could not defeat the Russian army. Senior Chechen commanders admit privately that pressure on their forces is growing and that they are running short of rockets and other ammunition. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive:
