An informal poll of Muscovites on Thursday showed that an overwhelming majority are opposed to the Russian troop intervention in Chechnya.


In the poll, carried out by The Moscow Times on Tverskaya Ulitsa in central Moscow, 20 city residents were asked their attitude to the latest political events in Chechnya. Only one, a policeman, backed the intervention.


Ivan Zinchenko, 67, a pensioner, sharply criticized the military moves.


"It is better to use peaceful methods but now it is not happening," Zinchenko said. "It is our president's fault because once he said you (republics) can take as much sovereignty as you can swallow."


A mathematician, 50, who declined to be named, said she was skeptical about the success of the wholeoperation.


"Troops should have been sent there earlier, but now it is too late. Everything should be solved peacefully," she said. "I do not like that our boys are being killed there."


Mikhail Rasygin, 21, a student, said Chechens should cope with their own problems and that Russian soldiers should not interfere.


Such interference, he said, "will lead to mobilization (in Chechnya) and a real war will be unleashed not only against Chechnya but also against Abkhazia, Dagestan and, as a result, against the whole Caucasus."


Oleg Balashov, 29, a worker, called the intervention "an adventure" which would have "zero" results.


Valery Astakhov, 32, a former military officer, said :"I think there are other ways to solve the crises in Chechnya."


A businessman, 35, who declined to be identified, said such conflicts should be solved with the help of negotiations. "I disapprove of the Russian invasion in Chechnya because nothing will be solved by the use of tanks," he said.


Irina, 36, a lawyer, said she was shocked by the situation and could not understand why people had to shoot and to kill each other at the behest of politicians. "It is just awful," she said.


Mikhail Zhilov, 28, a policeman, was the only person interviewed who supported Russian intervention, noting that Chechnya is "an integral part" of Russia.


"It is a pity that much blood will be shed, but it is necessary," he said. "It is impossible to negotiate now and they (the Chechens), in fact, are not eager to do so."