HEAVY FIGHTING IN CHECHNYA.

Destroying Yeltsin’s pre-summit cease-fire and undermining Moscow’s claim that Chechnya had been largely pacified, “heavy battles” took place between several thousand Chechen fighters and the Russian army in Grozny itself as well as outlying areas, Interfax said May 2. Russian forces have reported significant casualties on both sides. To counter this new threat to their control, the Russian army introduced a 9:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew in the Chechen capital. This curfew is to be in force until at least July 1, Tass said. Clashes took place elsewhere in Chechnya as well, with Tass reporting that a Russian helicopter had been subjected to anti-aircraft fire near the Chechen-Daghestani border. The Russian news services speculated that Chechen leader Dzhokhar Dudayev was seeking to embarrass Moscow in the runup to the V-E Day commemorations. There were no reports on May 1 about Fred Cuny, the American relief expert who has been missing since April 9.

France Criticizes Moscow on Chechnya.