Moscow: Chechen separatist commandos holding 700 theatre-goers hostage in Moscow have threatened to start executing their captives early on October 26 if their demands are not met, a press officer with the theatre said, quoting a hostage.

The hostage-takers gave the Russian authorities three days (following the beginning of the hostage-taking to pull out troops from Chechnya.

The Chechen separatists seized the hostages late on October 23 and demanded an end to the war in Chechnya.

They initially gave Russian authorities one week to pull their troops out of the breakaway Caucasus republic.

The commandos released 15 captives today (Oct 25), including a Swiss 10-year-old girl, but have failed to set free 75 foreigners despite a reported deal with the Russian authorities.

Negotiations with the commandos are still in progress.

Among the negotiators is a leading anti-war reporter, Anna Politkovskaya of the Novaya Gazeta, whom the rebels had specifically asked to intervene.

The Russian authorities have said they will spare the lives of the hostage-takers if they release their captives, according to the head of Russia's FSB intelligence service Nikolai Patrushev.