JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Russia is reportedly stepping up its airstrikes in Chechnya in the wake of deadly surprise attacks by rebels. President Vladimir Putin visited the breakaway region this week to express his displeasure with the handling of the conflict. CNN's Steve Harrigan reports.</s>STEVE HARRIGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Somewhere in the mountains of Southern Chechyna, 150 rebels prepare to break camp. It's a mixture of high and low technology -- pack horses, grenade launchers and what appears to be a satellite telephone. The Kremlin calls these men terrorists, bandits, animals. The mood in the camp seems calm, business-like.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The Russians have told the world the war is over. Our war is just beginning.</s>HARRIGAN: The mood is different at Russian military headquarters in Mosdok.</s>PRES. VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIA (through translator): I am warning you now that we must be more decisive, consistent and forceful.</s>HARRIGAN: In a surprise visit to the region, President Putin dressed down top aides in front of the television cameras. The criticisms follows a series of suicide truck bombings in Chechnya that killed 33 policemen and wounded more than 80, including this man.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We can't pull out. Otherwise everything will fall apart down there.</s>HARRIGAN: Twenty-five of his comrades were buried this week in the Siberian city of Chilavox (ph). (on camera): The military setbacks have had little effect on public opinion. Recent polls show 55 percent of Russians still say they think the fighting in Chechnya should continue. Steve Harrigan, CNN, Moscow.
Russia Stepping Up Airstrikes in Chechnya