GROZNY. Russia. Nov 10: Russian forces tightened their grip today around Grozny and other key Chechen strongholds, where troops are massed waiting Moscow's orders to launch an offensive, reports AFP.

Ignoring growing western calls for an end to the war. Russian warplanes, artillery and multiple rocket-launchers bombarded targets across breakway Chechnya overnight.

First winter snows and heavy fog forced the Russian air force to slightly scale down its dally bombing missions across Chechnya.

But the weather has also increased pressure on Moscow to move ahead quickly with its two-month-old campaign to subdue the rebel republic. So far Russian forces have failed to capture any major Chechen bases.

Federal troops Wednesday entered the western Chechen stronghold of Bamut to launch

a "mopplng-up" operation, conducting house-to-house searches for Chechen "rebels" on the northern edge of the village

The operation in Bamut. a key Chechen base to which Russian troops have laid siege since last month, took place after a night of heavy air bombardment of the village. ITAR-TASS reported, citing Russian military officials.

Chechen forces are holed up inside a former Russian rocket base in Bamut, sheltering inside concrete and steel bunkers.

Meanwhile, as artillery rained down on the republic's second city Gudermes. 10 Chechen gunmen were killed trying to break through Russian lines which have sealed the city off in preparation for storming it. ITAR-TASS also reported.

Russian and Chechen forces also exchanged fire throughout the night in the outskirts of Grozny, where thousands of

federal troops are massed. Chechen Colonel Isa Munayev told AFP.

The Russian troops, which occupy strategic heights within sight of the city, are less than three kilometres from Grozny.

The new operation has been demanded by Russian generals who suffered a humiliating defeat during the 1994-1996 war with Chechnya in which some 80.000 people died.

But the United States, which maintained throughout the earlier conflict that it was a Russian internal matter, has been increasing protests about the latest war and Its civilian casualties.

Rising public concern among US officials comes ahead of a November 17-19 summit of leaders from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Istanbul during which events in Chechnya are expected to be hotly debated.