Russian Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Koshman pledged to free the Chechen capital of Grozny from militants by early February.

"By the dynamics that shaped today, this will apparently be so," Koshman, who is also the government's envoy to the breakaway republic, said in an interview on the Zerkalo or Mirror television program.

He confirmed that part of the staff of the Russian government envoy's office in Chechnya would soon be moved to Grozny soon.

"In three-four days, I will be able to say when we move there, "he said, adding that once the city is cleared of rebels, "very energetic measures on rendering aid to the civilian population" will be required.

Meanwhile, part of the mission's staff has moved to Gudermes, the second largest Chechen city. The entire staff "will be in Gudermes" by Tuesday, Koshman said.

The move to Gudermes is intended to more effectively solve social problems in the liberated Chechen areas, he said.

On Sunday, federal Air Force planes continued their assaults on rebel positions mainly in the Shatoi, Itum-Kalin, and Vedeno districts, as rebel commanders vowed to switch from position fighting to guerrilla tactics, the Interfax news agency reported.

But federal forces have formed special rapid reaction troops to counter the rebels' guerrilla warfare. Overnight Sunday, the special troops and elite OMON police defused 81 bombs, confiscated204 kilograms of explosives, and detained seven Chechen fighters.

They also thwarted terrorist acts in several regions of Chechnya, Interfax reported, citing the Russian Interior Ministry.(Xinhua)