Russian federal troops continued their assault on rebels in the breakaway republic of Chechnya with escalated air strikes on December 16. A senior military official predicted that Grozny would fall within days.

The Air Force flew over 50 sorties in the morning alone to destroy enemy defense positions, bases and camps in southern Chechnya, the Interfax news agency reported, quoting an official in the Russian military command in the North Caucasus.

The Su-25 attack planes, Su-24 light bombers and Mi-24 army helicopter gunships will continue their attacks during the day and into the night, the official said.

In Moscow, First Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Manilov said federal forces are expected to capture Grozny, the Chechen capital, within the next few days.

He predicted that the main part of the operation is expected to be completed before the end of the year, although "small rebel formations will survive and we shall need a couple of months to finish the operation."

Manilov reiterated that the federal command does not plan to storm Grozny and is working on a plan to ensure a safe evacuation of civilians from the city.

"We shall definitely allow civilians to leave Grozny and will possibility set up five or six safe corridors," he said.

Manilov said about 7,000 rebels have been killed since the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, including about 5,000 killed in Chechnya. The federal forces have lost 402 soldiers, including about 130 in Dagestan.

Moscow launched the military campaign following armed incursions by Chechen rebels in neighboring Daghestan and a spate of terrorist bombings, also blamed on the Chechen militants, that killed over 300 people in Moscow and two other Russian cities.

Manilov dismissed as senseless talks with Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov.

"As long as he (Maskhadov) does not dissociate himself from terrorists to help the Russian authorities put an end to this evil, he cannot be a party to the negotiating process," he told a seminar on Chechnya.

Otherwise, the entire negotiating process will be senseless, but would likely help terrorists and militants "to regroup for their inhuman operations," he said.