Dudayev made the warning after an increasing number of Russian helicopters were spotted over the republic's Nadterechny region, which is controlled by the pro-Moscow Provisional Council, Chechen Information Minister Movladi Udugov said in a telephone interview.
Udugov, speaking from the Chechen capital Grozny, said that men aged between 15 and 55 had begun reporting to military offices in response to the national mobilization decreed by Dudayev. The Chechen leader has said Russia is preparing an invasion of the republic.
A statement issued by the Russian government Friday, while expressing alarm at the decision to mobilize, reiterated a promise made by President Boris Yeltsin on Thursday not to use force in the republic.
However, Alexander Mikhailov, a spokesman for Russia's Federal Counterintelligence Service, said that Russian security forces would destroy Chechnya's anti-aircraft guns if attacks were carried out against Russian aircraft.
"Chechnya is a member of the Russian Federation," Mikhailov said. "Russian helicopters have the right to fly over Russian territory."
Adding to the tension between Moscow and Chechnya was a report -- originating from Yeltsin's administration -- that one of Yeltsin's advisers had been kidnapped and tortured by Chechen terrorists.
Nina Nesterchuk, a press spokeswoman for the administration, said Friday that a group of at least four men, two of whom the female victim described as ethnic Chechens, tried to force her to make a videotaped statement that Yeltsin's administration was waging a media war against Dudayev.
The woman, whose name was not disclosed, is currently recovering from injuries she sustained when her kidnappers cut her with a knife and poured acid on her, Nesterchuk said.
Udugov responded that "the whole story either never happened or it has been made up by the Federal Counterintelligence Service" to discredit Dudayev's government.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.