INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS MET WITH HIS TOP ADVISORS TO DISCUSS THE WAR IN THE BREAKAWAY CHECHEN REPUBLIC. V-O-A'S ELIZABETH ARROTT IN MOSCOW REPORTS, THE KREMLIN IS CONSIDERING AN END TO THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN.

TEXT: MR. YELTSIN SAYS HE HAS CALLED ON RUSSIAN TROOPS TO WIND UP THEIR OPERATIONS IN CHECHNYA, AND BEGIN TO PULL BACK FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CHECHEN CAPITAL -- GROZNY.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A RUSSIAN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WANTS TO BEGIN WHAT HE CALLED A SECOND STAGE OF THE CAMPAIGN -- TO BUILD ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES IN CHECHNYA.

MR. YELTSIN SAYS HE WILL ADDRESS THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE SUBJECT TUESDAY, IN WHAT WILL BE HIS FIRST PUBLIC TALK ON THE INVASION SINCE BEFORE IT BEGAN TWO-WEEKS AGO.

MR. YELTSIN'S SILENCE DURING THE CRISIS HAS CAUSED BOTH ALARM AND CONFUSION, COMING AMID DEEP SPLITS OF OPINION IN THE GOVERNMENT, MILITARY, AND PUBLIC OPINION. AIDES TO THE PRESIDENT

SAY HE HAS BEEN RECOVERING FROM MINOR NOSE SURGERY.

IN GROZNY, SPORADIC SHELLING WAS REPORTED EARLY MONDAY, BUT APPARENTLY THERE WERE NO NEW BOMB ATTACKS OVERNIGHT. CIVILIAN CASUALTIES FROM RUSSIA'S RELENTLESS AIR BOMBARDMENT ARE REPORTEDLY HIGH. THE INTERFAX NEWS AGENCY QUOTES MR. YELTSIN AS SAYING THERE IS NO NEED TO WEEP ABOUT HOW HARD LIFE IS FOR THE CHECHEN PEOPLE.