ASSAULT ON GROZNY BEGINS, LEBED RUSHES TO STOP IT.

Russia’s chief security official and presidential plenipotentiary for Chechnya, Aleksandr Lebed, flew to Grozny today to stop Lt. General Konstantin Pulikovsky from attacking Grozny. Lebed was quoted this morning as saying that Pulikovsky would have to give up the command. Pulikovsky for his part said also this morning that he was certain of political support in Moscow–a belief reinforced by Yeltsin’s order yesterday to retake Grozny and the president’s public disavowal of Lebed’s policy. Yeltsin left Moscow today on vacation. Ahead of the ultimatums expiration, Russian artillery last night and this morning began shelling Grozny and Russian troops attacked, losing nine killed and 44 wounded just overnight. Chechen chief of staff Aslan Maskhadov appealed to Lebed to "use his influence to stop this madness." Thousands of civilians are fleeing the capital. (Russian and Western agencies, August 20. See Perspective section below).

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