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Russian hostage drama continues, one captive killed

Heavily armed Chechen rebels, holding nearly 800 people hostage in a theatre in Moscow, shot dead one of them on Thursday night, even as negotiations continued to end the standoff.

Itar Tass news agency said the gunmen shot dead a woman and refused to release more hostages till their demands of a complete halt on military operations in Chechnya and total pullout of Russian troops were met.

Two young Russian women also managed to escape, an FSB security official said.

The two women, both 18 years of age, climbed out of a window and one of them suffered light wounds after the Chechen rebels threw grenades at them, FSB spokesman Sergei Ignachenko said.

A Russian special forces agent was also lightly wounded as he rushed to their assistance, he added.

Immediately after the escape two explosions were heard. No official explanation was forthcoming for the blasts.

Meanwhile, Russian liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky was holding negotiations with Chechen separatists, the FSB security service said.

Yavlinsky, head of the Yabloko party, arrived from the Siberian city of Omsk, from where he had had telephone contact with the hostage-takers, FSB spokesman Sergei Ignachenko said, adding Yavlinsky is seeking the release of women and children hostages.

President Vladimir Putin condemned the siege as a major terrorist attack. "This is the largest hostage taking not only in Russia, but also abroad," said Putin, who cancelled his foreign trips to deal with the situation.

Around 40 rebels, including women, armed with automatic weapons, grenades, belts with explosives attached, mines and canisters with gasoline, stormed the theatre during a popular musical show on Wednesday night, taking the audience, including 62 foreigners, hostage.

Among the hostages were Americans, Britons, Dutch and Germans. There was no Indian.

A pro-rebel Web site said the attackers had given a seven-day deadline to Russia to fulfil their demands, failing which they would blow up the building.

The rebels overnight released 180 hostages, including 24 children and two pregnant women. Five more were released on Thursday afternoon shortly after four mediators holding white flags entered the building and began talks.

PTI

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