RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: RUSSIANS MOUNT HEAVY ATTACK ON GROZNY

(6 Jan 1995) Natural Sound Russian planes and guns pounded the Chechen capital again on Friday. Heavy air and artillery attacks mainly targeted the presidential palace and a nearby bridge. There are unconfirmed reports that the Chechen leader General Dudayev has left Grozny for a mountain command post. A Moscow newspaper says that at least 18-hundred Russian soldiers and two-thousand Chechen fighters have been killed in the conflict so far. The bombardments continue unabated. Russian troops appear to be aiming most of their fire at the presidential building and a nearby bridge. The attacks on the bridge leading to the palace have left the building all but inaccessible. The Russian government press service claims Russian troops are advancing toward the centre and have taken over a military college building near the palace. However, many of the government’s past claims have proven false. But the fighting is in