HEAVY FIGHTING ERUPTS IN CHECHNYA.

Russian helicopter gunships fired rockets into the center of Gudermes, Chechnya’s second-largest city today, the first day of voting in national and local elections in the rebel region. Casualties are reported to have been heavy. Russian soldiers on the scene told Reuter that rebel forces had infiltrated Gudermes overnight. "They have taken almost the entire town," one said. According to the soldiers, Russian troops have completely sealed off Gudermes. (2)

…Notwithstanding Dudayev’s Talk of Peace.