Wednesday night's street fighting in Minutka Square is a small taste of things to come from Grozny's defenders, who now have their chance to meet the Russians on the ground. Experience has shown that this is the kind of combat in which they excel.
Public reaction to last August's outbreak of war in Chechnya proved very different to the way the last conflict was received in 1995. The difference, reports Densi Bevz from the Siberian city of Tomsk, is down to cynicism, an uncaring community and the me
Russia's new military campaign in the North Caucasus is marked not only by a new military strategy but also by a changed attitude to the Russian army's activity in Chechnya.
Last Monday, Moscow dropped leaflets on Grozny telling all residents they must leave before Saturday. That deadline is now upon the city's band of defenders - and an estimated 30,000 innocent civilians.
The second Chechen war has bridged the differences between Chechen president Aslan Maskhadov and his long-time political rival, Shamil Basaev, the most notorious Chechen field commander of recent times.
Even when a war is called an 'anti-terrorism operation', as the Russian authorities call their current works in Chechnya, it still has to be paid for.
While recognising the legitimacy of the Russian government's drive to eliminate the destabilising threat posed by Chechnya's uncontrolled militants, Russian tactics in the republic has appalled much of the international community.
Relations between Russia and Georgia are more strained than ever following Georgia's signature on key agreements at the OSCE summit which underline a shifting alignment towards Europe and the United States.
In stark contrast to 1994-1996, even the state media in Georgia is heaping criticism on Russia for the campaign in Chechnya.
By Artem Yerkanian in Yerevan (CRS No. 9, 3-Dec-99)
