World News 04-12-1999 Chechen Rebels Face Starvation who: Russian forces what: Prepare for massacre in Grozny where: Chechnya when: Today snippet: "Chechen civilians trapped by fighting in the capital Grozny are facing a humanitarian catastrophe," reports the BBC. The charity Human Rights Watch says that the Chechen capital Grozny is now almost completely surrounded and food supplies have almost run out. Some people are forced to walk four or five kilometres to find fresh water. Meanwhile, reports The Sun, the Russians are planning to launch a merciless assault. "They have already slaughtered between 35 and 40 Muslim civilians in the village of Geiti, nine miles from Grozny, according to reports. And another 40 refugees were shot dead at point blank range by masked Russian troops." However, The Express reports that the Russians are not expecting the battle to be easily won. And Russian General Sergei Makarov fears that "the sight of body bags returning to Moscow could seriously undermine the hawkish government of premier Vladimir Putin." [... more]

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