GROZNY, Chechnya -- The president of the breakaway region of Chechnya accused Russia on Friday of destroying the city's airport and causing heavy casualties, a news agency reported.


"Russian troops dealt a rocket strike (at the airport) and a (nearby) town ... destroying the entire airport building and parked planes. The runway also has been destroyed,'' said Dzhokhar Dudayev, as quoted by Itar-Tass.


He said the strike, reportedly carried out by four helicopters, caused "numerous casualties among the population.''


Dudayev's remarks contradict reports Itar-Tass obtained from the Chechen police, who said rockets fired at the airport had no warheads and caused only minor damage.


Police also said there were no casualties, the news agency reported.


According to opposition sources, government troops are using helicopter gunships to shell the village of Bratskoye in the opposition-controlled Nadterechny district of the breakaway Caucasus republic.


The main opposition group, known as the Provisional Council, issued an ultimatum, giving Dudayev several hours to capitulate or a face an assault on the city, the agency said. The Provisional Council also said its forces struck the airport in Grozny and destroyed all combat planes, tanks, armored vehicles and anti-aircraft guns which protected the airport, the agency reported.


Dudayev's spokesman said ethnic Chechens would be ordered to launch terrorist attacks throughout Russia unless the Russian government dissociates itself from the attack on Grozny airport.


"Dzhokhar Dudayev already has issued an order, putting on high alert the mechanism of staging terrorist acts in Russian cities, including Moscow," Soltmurat Apazov told Interfax.