Moscow: Moscow hostage crisis continued with no solution for the third day on October 25 as Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed not to give in to Chechen rebels holding more than 800 hostages at gunpoint in a Moscow theatre and ordered his security forces to secure their release, even as the rebels pledged to die if their demands were not met.

"We will not give in to provocations," Putin said last night following a meeting with Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, as quoted by Russian news agencies.

"The most important thing is to guarantee the safety of areas near the theatre, to help the hostages and to assist their relatives," Putin added, with a clear implication that security forces were contemplating an armed operation to free the hostages.

About 40 rebels, including women, armed with automatic weapons, grenades, belts with explosives attached, mines and canisters with gasoline, stormed the theatre during a popular musical show on October 23 night taking the audience, including foreigners, hostage.

A pro-rebel Website said that the guerrillas had given a seven-day deadline to Russia to fulfill their demands failing which they would blow up the building.

PTI