Russian forces pounded villages in western Chechnya yesterday and tightened the noose around the capital, Grozny, in defiance of growing international criticism of their seven-week-old military campaign.
President Boris Yeltsin invited Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to his residence near Moscow to discuss Chechnya, as well as preparations for the Istanbul summit of the Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe, to be held on November 18th-19th.
On television later, the President gave a hearty endorsement to his Mr Putin's Chechnya policy.
"Every day I am more and more convinced that this is the only path for Russia, the most acceptable for Russia," Mr Yeltsin said, holding Mr Putin by the arm. "My personal support for him remains, and my conviction is growing with every day."
Mr Putin is expected to come under fire at the summit from Western leaders, including US President Bill Clinton, over the Chechen campaign, which has turned more than 200,000 people into refugees and claimed many civilian lives. The Russian television station NTV showed a relaxed-looking Mr Yeltsin chatting with Mr Putin. In Chechnya, Russian troops were cementing their control over the territory's second town, Gudermes, which they took on Friday without meeting any real resistance in a move hailed by Mr Putin as a turning point in the Chechen campaign.
However, his comments came on a day which saw the heaviest aerial bombing of Chechnya so far. NTV claims there were 180 sorties by Russian pilots.
Russian artillery continued to pound the villages of Gekhi and Urus-Martan yesterday while residents cowered in basements and cellars.
Itar-Tass news agency said 2,160 new refugees had arrived in Ingushetia, the region bordering western Chechnya, over the past 24 hours, while 992 people had headed in the other direction, mostly hoping to trace lost relatives and friends.
The plight of the refugees, who face food shortages and cold weather in their makeshift tent accommodation, has raised concerns in the West that civilians are bearing the brunt of Russia's military offensive.
Moscow says it is trying to alleviate their situation but insists it must also destroy Chechnya's Islamic militants, whom it blames for a series of bomb blasts in Russian towns and accuses of seeking to destabilise the North Caucasus region.
On Saturday, Mr Putin defended the Chechnya campaign in a telephone conversation with the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan.
"Russia is prepared for a political settlement to the Chechen problem, but not with those who have posed [for pictures] over the corpses of our citizens," Mr Putin's press secretary quoted him as telling Mr Annan.
Russian forces entered Chechnya in October saying their aim was to set up a security zone against Islamic militants.
Russian military commanders now say they will not stop until they have brought the entire province to heel.