Tuesday, March 8 2005 21:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov was today (Mar 8, 2005) killed by Russian security forces in a special operation in northern Chechnya.

Maskhadov was killed this morning in Tolstoy-Yurt village in north Chechnya by FSB commandos, Maj Gen Ilya Shabalkin, an official spokesman, was quoted as saying by the RIA Novotsi news agency.

Maskhadov, a former Soviet Army colonel was elected President of Chechnya's separatist regime in 1997 and has been fighting with federal forces to seek independence of this Caucasus province from Moscow.

Meanwhile, Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopastnosti (FSB) chief Nikolai Patrushev met President Vladimir Putin to inform him about the Maskhadov's death.

Putin, in the televised meeting, lauded the security personnel for eliminating the Chechen separatist leader and asked the FSB chief to "double-check" the identity of the militant's body.

Putin said the commandos involved in the operation would be decorated with medals.

NTV has shown the body of a man resembling Maskhadov sprawled on ground with bare torso and an arm in a blue jacket and bullet wound on the chest.

Earlier in the morning the Russian security forces announced foiling a massive terrorist act in Tolstoy-Yurt, North of provincial Capital Grozny.

Shabalkin said Maskhadov, the chief of separatists opposed to Russian rule in Chechnya, was hiding in a bunker in the village of Tolstoy-Yurt.

Mashkhadov's body has been identified, he said.

Mashkhadov has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against Russian forces in Chechnya and has been accused of by Moscow for involvement in attacks including the Beslan school massacre last September and a mass hostage taking at a Moscow theatre in 2002.