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Moscow says end of Chechen war within sight

MOSCOW: Moscow trumpeted the imminent end of its crackdown in Chechnya on Friday, threatening to put the rebel republic's president on trial but grudgingly admitted to human rights violations.

"The third stage of the anti-terrorist operation has entered its final phase and the military side of the operation will of course be over shortly," said Deputy Chief of Staff General Valery Manilov, cited by Interfax news agency.

As acting President Vladimir Putin hit the campaign trail in distant Siberia, five weeks ahead of presidential elections in Russia, federal forces kept up the pressure against the rebels' last strongholds in the south.

Moscow also upped the stakes by announcing that it is investigating Chechnya's separatist President Aslan Maskhadov for armed insurrection and that he could face criminal charges.

Maskhadov would face 12 to 20 years in prison if convicted for fomenting "armed revolt", chief prosecutor for the North Caucasus, Yury Biriukov told Interfax.

Since the start of Russia's crackdown in Chechnya, Moscow has denied the legitimacy of Maskhadov, who is currently in southern Chechnya where up to 7,000 separatist guerrillas are holed up in mountain hideouts.

The five-month war against breakaway Chechnya is hugely popular with Russian voters and the Kremlin is anxious that no military Ñ or media Ñ reverses threaten Putin's strong chances of election on March 26.

But Manilov acknowledged that Russia had violated human rights in Chechnya, even admitting that some soldiers may have committed "discreditable actions," as new evidence emerged of brutality in a detention camp. AFP