GROZNY (Russia). Dec 31 Russian armoured vehicles fought Chechen defenders in front of the presidential palace in centra) Grozny today after launching a massive ground and air assault on the sepa ratist republic's capital, reports AFP.
From about a kilometre away, a huge fire, gushing black smoke, could be seen coming from the. centre near the presidential building.
However, a Chechen television camera left running in the window of the building continued to transmit grainy pictures of Russian armoured vehicles firing in all directions around the main square.
Chechens fought back with grad ground-to-ground rockets positioned in the city centre and with heavy machine guns against helicopter gunships that attacked the city for the.
first time since' Russian troops were ordered into Chechnya on December 11 to crush the Muslim republic's indepen dence drtve.
A Moscow report says. Russian troops entered Grozny at nightfall today and took con trol of several administrative buildings. Russia's government press centre said adding that fighting continued Inside the city. '
A high-ranking Russian Defence Ministry source had earlier denied reports in the Russian' media that the thousands of besiegirig troops would storm Grozny on New Year's Eve. Interfax news agency said.
Terrified remaining residents hid in cellars and bomb shelters as shells slammed into the city at’the rate of two or three a minute at one point, according to AP.
Thick smoke from at least ning fires burning at an oil refinery and elsewhere In the industrial district turned the ravaged city as Mack as night soon after the attack began al midday.
Une Russian bomb struck a prison in the capital and killed 26 prisoners, a Chechen spokesman told the Moscow Echo radio station. No further details were available.
Bloodied and dazed Chechen fighters ran ^6r cover but said they would hot give up.
"Despite the great might of the Russian army which is attacking Grozny, the people of Chechnya have already won a moral victon . Dudayev said In a New Year's address to the people of Chechnya and Russia, according to the Interfax news agency