Federal troops are not going to assault Grozny, Gudermes and other big Chechen cities, deputy chief of Russia's general staff Colonel-General Valery Manilov stated in New York. He stressed that the Russian command would follow the government's task to avoid major losses. At the same time Lieutenant-General Gennady Troshev, who commands the eastern division of forces, said that Gudermes would be captured in the next few days. Federal troops have besieged this city on three sides, Echo of Moscow radio reports.