Scores Die as Russian Warplanes, Troops Attack Chechen Capital

Russian jets screamed over the Chechen capital Wednesday, bombing houses and killing scores of people as ground forces fought to approach the city from three directions.

The attacks were some of the heaviest against Grozny since Russia launched its campaign to wipe out Chechen-based Islamic militants.

Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin said troops would not stop until they “destroy the center of international terrorism in Chechnya.”

Chechen military headquarters said 116 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Wednesday’s air and artillery attacks, but the figure could not be confirmed. Streams of civilians fled to the countryside.

Huge plumes of smoke rose over Grozny as pairs of Russian jets roared over the city. Bombs and rockets destroyed houses and apartment buildings, including the home of warlord Shamil Basayev.

Basayev’s fighters were among those who twice attacked the neighboring Russian republic of Dagestan--which they want to split off from Russia--in August and September, prompting Russia’s elimination campaign. Russian officials also blame the militants for apartment bombings in Russia last month that killed about 300 people.

Russia has repeatedly said its military actions are limited to attacking rebel positions, and air force chief Col. Gen. Anatoly M. Kornukov said Wednesday that “peaceful civilians both in and outside Grozny are spared missile and bombing strikes.” But Chechen Vice Prime Minister Kazbek Makhashev called the latest raids “state terrorism . . . a slaughter of the people.”

Scores of other civilians have been killed by attacks on Grozny and other Chechen towns in recent weeks, independent observers say.

Yeltsin said Wednesday that Moscow is determined to press ahead with its campaign.