NPR's Michele Kelemen reports for the past week, Russian warplanes have been bombing the breakaway republic of Chechnya. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has vowed to keep up the attacks, to destroy the bases of Islamic militants he blames for recent apartment house bombings in Russia. The air raids have driven tens of thousands of Chechens from their homes and have fueled reports that the Russians are about to send ground troops into Chechnya. President Boris Yeltsin remains silent on the crisis.
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