A column of military vehicles of the Russian 503rd regiment moves along a highway near Vedeno, 70 km (44 miles) southeast of Grozny, pulling out of Chechnya on Saturday, August 19, 1995. The 503rd regiment pulled out of Chechenya on Saturday, the first to leave since a July 30accord on ending the eight-month war. The regiment, about 2,000 strong, has been in Chechnya since in January most recently on the front lines near Vedeno, a traditional stronghold of Chechen separatism. (AP Photo/Chris Bird)

Russian Interior Ministry special forces troops, heavily armed and wearing masks, guard a civilian airport as they wait the possible arrival of Russian defense Minister Pavel Grachev in Beslan, North Ossetia, not far from the border of Chechnya on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1994. Grachev, who was to meet with Chechen President Dzhokhar Dudayev, landed at another airport. Russia maintained its pressure, sending a military jet roaring over Grozny on Tuesday afternoon and keeping thousands of soldiers along the border of the breakaway Russian republic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian soldiers stand guard near a check point at a temporary military base for Russian paratroopers in Beslan, North Ossetia, near the border of Chechnya, on Saturday, Dec. 3, 1994. Chechen authorities released two Russian prisoners Saturday and turned them over to a parliamentary delegation from Moscow seeking the release of all Russians captured in a rebel offensive last week. President Yeltsin threaten to send troops if they were not released. Moscow has since toned down the threat, but continued to beef up troops on Chechnya???s birders, news reports said. (AP Photo/Alexander Zamlianichenko)

Russian servicemen clean snow from armored vehicles at a temporary military base for Russian paratroopers in Beslan, North Ossetia, near the border of Chechnya on Saturday, Dec. 3, 1994. Chechen authorities released two Russian prisoners Saturday and turned them over to a parliamentary delegation form Moscow seeking the release of all Russians captured in a rebel offensive last week. President Yeltsin threaten to send troops if they were not released. Moscow has since toned down the threat, but continued to beef up troops on Chechnya???s borders, news reports said. (AP Photo/Alexander Zamlianichenko)

Russian servicemen perform routine maintenance of armored vehicles at a temporary military base for Russian paratroopers in Beslan, North Ossetia, not far from the border of Chechnya, on Saturday, Dec. 3, 1994. Chechen authorities released two Russian prisoners Saturday and turned them over to a parliamentary delegation from Moscow seeking the release of all Russian captured in a rebel offensive last week. President Yeltsin threaten to send troops if they were not released. Moscow has since toned down the threat, but continued to beef up troops on Chechnya???s borders, news reports said. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)