Chechen rebels vow to fight on

"The occupiers and puppets are celebrating what they regard as a victory," stated a commentary on an Internet website regularly used by the rebels.

"Indeed they can claim a victory for temporary propagandistic euphoria."

Speaking to AFP earlier, Akhmed Zakayev, a longtime ally and spokesman of Maskhadov, confirmed by telephone from Britain the leader had been killed by Russian troops.

However he vowed that the fight would go on: "The resistance will continue, no doubt about it."

The killing of Maskhadov, the 53-year-old separatist leader who was elected president of Chechnya in 1997 in elections acknowledged by Moscow and who was seen as a relative moderate among rebel leaders, means talks on ending the war are no longer possible, the Internet message stated.