One official said a Chechen commander was among them.

Moscow has said it would negotiate with individual Chechen commanders, however, to get them to lay down their weapons.

It was his third attempt to persuade the Chechen commander to negotiate with the Russian side.

The guards then called the Chechen military commander of the village which arrived accompanied with armed men at around 4 o'clock hour in the morning.

Chechen commanders reported that they had destroyed two tanks in fighting overnight.

Chechen commanders contend that Russian troops have suffered far greater losses.

There are about a dozen of these Chechen commanders who need to be brought to the table.

A Chechen "commander" could only command as long as he had the respect of his men.

Chechen commanders promptly displayed the captured letters, passports and other documents of Russian soldiers.

Chechen commanders conceded today that they had lost ground in Grozny and the mountains.