Russia's Prime Minister, Mr Vladimir Putin, who has always taken a hard line against talks with "bandits and terrorists", has admitted that secret high-level talks have been taking place with Chechen leaders. The talks have so far, however, failed to bear fruit, Mr Putin told the independent Russian news agency Interfax.
News of the contacts between the Russian government and representatives of the Chechen president, Mr Aslan Maskhadov, came as Russia braced itself for the proposed all-out attack on Grozny, signalled for today. As the "deadline" approached, all the signals were that Russia was pulling back from its "get out or die" ultimatum issued in leaflets dropped on the city last Monday.
With up to 100,000 troops, a force bigger than most west-European armies, committed to pacifying Chechnya, Russia has now gained control of most of the lowland portion of Chechnya apart from Grozny itself. In the last Chechen war with a force of about 30,000, Russia managed to take Grozny following heavy losses only to lose it again to a Chechen counter attack.
Russia's Minister for Emergen cy Situations, Mr Sergei Shoigu, a popular politician who leads the main pro-government party in the parliamentary elections later this month, gave a strong indication yesterday morning that the deadline for civilians to leave Grozny may not be imposed.
He said he was prepared to talk to Mr Maskhadov, or even "to talk to the devil" to ensure that a safe passage was established for civilians who wished to leave the Chechen capital.
It appeared, however, according to Mr Putin's interview with Interfax, that "talks with the devil" had been proceeding for some time. The main obstacle between the sides has been Russia's insistence that Mr Maskhadov hands over leading "bandits and terrorists" to the Russian authorities. Mr Maskhadov's ability to do that appears to be in doubt as most of the more violent warlords are outside his control.
He does, however, still have some authority within the Che chen territory and yesterday one of his representatives, Mr Sharip Yusupov, in an interview on Moscow's Ekho Moskvy radio station, said Mr Maskhadov was prepared to enter talks on the organisation of a safe-passage corridor for civilians.
However, the conditions laid down by Mr Yusupov that "all military actions were halted immediately and the blockades around Grozny and other Chechen towns were lifted" were far too wide-ranging to be accepted on the Russian side.
Mr Maskhadov was also reported to have left Grozny yesterday for an unspecified destination inside Chechnya. His wife and family have already left for the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia where she has relatives.
With the capture of the town of Shali yesterday, Russian Federal forces now control all the major roads in and out of Grozny but Chechen insurgents are understood still to be able to travel to and from the city by cross-country routes.
Russia's tightening of the noose around Grozny has coincided with the beginning of Islam's holy month of Ramadan in this largely Muslim community.
Somewhere between 15,000 and 30,000 civilians are understood to be trapped in Grozny. Most are elderly, infirm, wounded or too poor to bribe their way out of the city. There has been no electricity, running water or heating in Grozny for nearly a month and food prices in the local bazaars have risen sharply.
Seamus Martin can be contacted by e-mail at: seamus.martin@russia.com