Chechen Rebels Shoot Down a Russian Warplane

CHECHENAUL, Russia — Federal troops fighting in Chechnya lost their first Su-25 warplane to rebel antiaircraft fire Saturday but continued to tighten their grip on the secessionist republic’s capital, Grozny.

All three Russian TV channels broadcast wreckage of the single-seat attack jet strewn more than 1 1/2 miles over a field near Grozny.

Other planes could be heard from Chechenaul, about six miles southeast of Grozny, flying above the capital every few minutes.

Each sortie was followed by a long series of powerful explosions coming from Grozny, where thousands of Chechen fighters are still based and where civilians are sheltering in basements.

Chechen fighters near this settlement said that Russian tanks cut off one of the last remaining roads into the capital on Friday and were still in control of the crucial junction early Saturday.

Though Chechen irregulars have shot down Russian helicopters before, Saturday’s incident was the first time they have brought down one of the deadly fighter planes that have carried out air raids on Grozny.

A crew member of the NTV independent television channel said the plane was brought down by antiaircraft fire about 10:30 a.m. He said residents in the area told him that the body of the dead pilot, an unnamed major, had been taken away.

Local residents and jubilant Muslim fighters sifted through the wreckage in driving snow.

“This is our work. We’ll destroy lots more,” said one after giving a large piece of debris a kick.