Grozny’s eventual “fall” was inevitable. But Russian soldiers fighting there know that it hardly means the end of the war; hit-and-run guerrilla attacks are inevitable. The question is, what does acting president Vladimir Putin want to happen next? The presidential election is March 26, and though late last week Russia’s generals said their forces would take the war to the southern mountains, they also said that the effective conquest of Grozny meant some troops could go home. Valery Manilov, first deputy chief of the general staff, announced on Friday that “it was decided today to prepare for a withdrawal of a considerable part of the troops.” It may not be long before Moscow declares a pre-election “victory” as some of its troops pull out. The only hitch: as they did in the 1994-96 war, the rebels battling for Chechen independence will continue the fight.
