RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: RUSSIAN TROOPS FACE SECOND WINTER IN CHECHNYA

Russian/Eng/Nat President Yeltsin has endorsed a plan for Chechnya to elect a successor to its Kremlin installed prime minister in December at the same time as Russia elects a new parliament. The election would be conducted under strict security and only during daylight because Chechnya is under curfew. Thousands have died since Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Chechnya last December to put down its drive for independence. A military pact signed in July called for Russia to gradually withdraw its troops, but the agreement foundered and the soldiers are now facing their second winter in Chechnya. Russian troops are facing another harsh winter in the breakaway republic of Chechnya. Morale is low and the conflict with the Chechen rebels shows no sign of abating. Thousands of people, civilians, soldiers and rebels, have died since Moscow sent in troops last December to put down Chechnya's drive for independence. But the fighting continues - Russia's military command reported Wednesday that six servicemen were killed and nine wounded in a spate of rebel attacks. It is a miserable existence compounded by reports of soldiers not being paid or receiving food or suitable clothing. SOUNDBITE: (In Russian) "I'm cold and hungry. What else can I say? There are no proper living conditions here. For weeks they have given us no bread or cigarettes." SUPER CAPTION: Andrei, Russian soldier This Russian infantry detachment say they have had to beg for bread from passers-by and haven't bathed for several weeks. The temperature has already fallen below zero. For these soldiers a campfire is their only means of warmth. This group have been in Chechnya since January. And they are not relishing a second winter here. SOUNDBITE: (In Russian) "We have to be clean as soldiers but they haven't brought water to us for a fortnight. When we do get water, we never know whether we should wash ourselves first or clean the dishes so we can eat from clean plates." SUPER CAPTION: Andrei, Russian soldier The disgruntled soldiers' anger is aimed mainly at the man that sent them into war - Russian Defence Minister Pavel Grachev. Last year, he boasted that a single parachute regiment could solve all questions in Chechnya within two hours. Now, he's widely blamed for the prolonged and bloody war in the breakaway republic. But it is not just troops in Chechnya who want him ousted. There have been repeated calls for Grachev's resignation from all sides of the political spectrum. Reformists blame him for failing to streamline the military and combat widespread corruption. And communists and nationalists have not forgiven him for ordering the attack on Russia's White House in the October 1993 uprising. In Moscow, the anti-fascist youth organisation has compared him to Hitler. Earlier this week, members unfurled a giant banner picturing Grachev with Hitler. VOXPOP: "We want our president, the Russian president, to throw away our Defence Minister Pavel Grachev because he is a bloody criminal." SUPER CAPTION: Demonstrator But despite widespread opposition, Grachev has so far managed to hold on to his job - for now safe in the knowledge that President Yeltsin still supports him. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/4ff2ce9ff9bd87da6265ee4aaab5212b Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork