LONDON June 5 : Chechen leader Dzhokhar Dudayev has appealed to US President Bill CHnion requesting his immediate intervention in the conflict in Chechnya radio Russia reported Sunday quoting the Russian Interior Ministry reports AFP

Dudayev "has also sent an appeal to Mayor of St Petersburg Anatoly Sobachak requesting his iirdlalion In the set Uement of the conflict. " the radio monitored here by the BBt said

The report came amid conflicting claims that the Russians had seized control of the Chechen separatists soul hern mountain stronghold of Vendeno

Russian Iones Chief of Staff Anatoly Kulikov was quoted by Intertax news agency as saying the separatists were driven out ol VendeTio by a combined ar tillerv and helicopter offensive

But a separatist spokesman.

quoted by Interfax, categori-callv denied the claim, saying it was absurd '

If confirmed the capture of Vendeno would mark another turning point in the six-month war. which broke out after Russian troops stormed into the Muslim republic last December to crush a three-yegr secession drive led bv Dudayev

It would mean the Russians occupied a major part of the breakaway republic . and the Chechen command would be forced to take refuge higher in the mountains — or to lay down their arms

Reuter adds Chechen rebels shot down a Russian Ml 24 attack helicopter on Sunday night, killing Its two crew members, the Russian Defence Ministry said today

Interfax news agency said the MI-24, a type used to strafe Chechen positions was one of several attack hell copiers flying near Nozhai-yurt.