SONIA RUSELER, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met acting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today. Putin says he views the United States and Russia as partners. But the two differed over Russia's policy in the breakaway Republic of Chechnya. Albright says Russia should use talks, not force, to settle the crisis. But Putin insists Russia will press its attacks against rebels. On the ground, Russian generals say they've almost captured the Chechen capital. But as CNN's Steve Harrigan reports, what the Russians are taking control of is a city in ruins.</s>STEVE HARRIGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Empty, broken buildings in Grozny tell a story of a battle that seems to have taken on a life of its own. "We've been fighting from one building to the other," he says. "Every one of them is fortified. We take one and move on to the next." The destruction is so widespread, the difference between inside and outside is no longer clear. (on camera): The shattered buildings are the most visible sign of the heavy fighting, but in Grozny, even the air itself is hard to breathe, filled with smoke from constant shelling. (voice-over): The shells are targeted from the ruins of buildings already destroyed. "There are some civilians in there," he says, "mostly old people. It's hard to imagine anyone could stay alive in those conditions." Some of the shots hit their mark, but total destruction may not mean an end to the fighting. It may, in fact, achieve the opposite, many Chechens say, making it difficult or impossible for the two sides ever to live together in peace. Steve Harrigan, CNN, Grozny, Chechnya.
Russian Generals Claim Chechen Capital Nearly Captured