Four of central and east Europe's most advanced post-communist states have warned Russia to respect civilians in its offensive in Chechnya. The statement by the presidents of the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia was the most wide-ranging and ambitious since reviving their Visegrad Four group earlier this year.
The four countries are attempting to play a bigger role in European affairs to enhance the region's stability and prove their worth to the European Union, which they are leading candidates to join.
They expressed deep concern at reports of civilian casualties as Russian forces closed in on the Chechen capital of Grozny.
Russian troops yesterday raced to the eastern fringes of Grozny after Chechen forces abandoned the town of Argun. Fighting raged around the last escape routes out of the besieged capital.
"Argun represents the key to Grozny, and [its fall] thus opens up the road to the mountainous part of Chechnya," said Col Yury Em, the Russian commander on the Argun front.
As Moscow racked up the pressure on Grozny, up to 50 people were killed south of the capital when a refugee column came under fire from Russian troops, a woman who survived the attack told ITAR-TASS.