Russian authorities plan to carry out forensic tests on Wednesday to confirm the death of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov.
Russian television Tuesday showed pictures of the dead body of a man resembling Mr. Maskhadov lying in a pool of blood. Military officials said troops killed him during a raid in the Chechen village of Tolstoi-Yurt. His death was also announced by the Chechen envoy in London, Akhmed Zakayev, who said the fight for Chechen independence will continue.
The Kremlin blamed Mr. Maskhadov for a number of deadly terror attacks, including the 2002 Moscow theater siege and last year's Beslan school massacre. Mr. Maskhadov was elected Chechen president in 1997, but fled into hiding when thousands of Russian troops re-entered Chechnya in 1999.