Mr. Kovalev said that he had personally verified the deaths of 42 Chechen civilians since the offensive began.

Mr. Bush has suggested cutting off aid until Russia stops killing Chechen civilians.

The special police unit from Perm was sent to keep the peace in the town, where about 7,000 Chechen civilians remain.

Perhaps he should start with a referendum for the Chechen civilians being punished by his "democratic" regime.

But so far there are no takers, given the intense fear of Russians and how they treat Chechen civilians.

The low estimate for Chechen civilians killed is 10,000, the upper estimate 40,000.

Human Rights watch said it had confirmed the killing of more than 40 Chechen civilians by Russian soldiers in one Grozny district alone.

Chechen civilians, including medical personnel, continued to be the target of military attacks by Russian forces.

But peace has been elusive for Chechen civilians, victims of a continuing war of attrition.

Chechen civilians also suffer because there have been no sustained efforts to rebuild basic social services, such as public utilities or education.