Russian commander admits Chechen abuses

The senior Russian commander in Chechnya, General Vladimir Moltenskoi, has mounted a public-relations offensive to counter reports of army brutality against civilians.

The general has visited one of the villages where his troops were accused recently of beating and torturing hundreds of residents.

In a rare admission by an army leader, he conceded that some abuses had taken place, but said mutual trust could be restored.

He promised to try to win back the confidence of the Chechen people. There have also been reports of a large-scale military activity around the capital, Grozny.

Rebel spokesmen say eleven civilians have been killed and hundreds detained, but there's no independent confirmation of this.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service