CHECHEN BORDER: RUSSIAN FLAG FLYING OVER GUDERMES

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0:00 Russia says its army was welcomed warmly as infantry moved into Gudermes. 0:06 There was resistance, however -- albeit futile. 0:09 Capturing Chechnya's second largest city is a big prize for Russia, which some say is looking to regain complete control over the breakaway region. 0:22 And while the United States has made its position clear on how brutally that's being achieved, the voice of Russia's Defence Minister, Igor Sergeyev, has been just as emphatic. 0:36 In a stinging attack reminiscent of a Cold War era, he accused the U‑S of exacerbating the Chechen conflict for its own political gain. 0:38 With continued conflict in the northern Caucasus, he said, Russia would have no time to develop weapons, and under those conditions the U‑S would establish control in the region. 0:50 With Gudermes taken, Russian forces continue to bomb and rocket towns across Chechnya. 0:56 The capital Grozny has been hit hard by heavy air strikes, reportedly destroying military bases and a weapons depot. 1:09 For thousands fleeing across the border to the tiny republic of Ingushetia, such talks couldn't come soon enough. 1:16 The military authorities and the political authorities admit there have been tragic mistakes. They exist and we should answer for our mistakes. We are sorry and express our condolences to those who have suffered from those mistakes. 1:26 More than four thousand refugees are said to be fleeing Chechnya daily, but only a small fraction are housed in refugee camps. With the oppressive Russian winter blanketing these depressed communities, most are living in abandoned buildings, mosques and even cemeteries -- cold, hungry and uncertain of their future.