PARIS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Almost 250 intellectuals, politicians and actors published a petition on Saturday condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin and the "dirty, cruel" war in Chechnya.

A day before Putin was due to arrive for a visit to France, the petition called on European leaders to stand up and denounce what the Russian authorities were doing in the breakaway Caucasus region.

"Every day young Russian soldiers are dying and 20 times as many Chechens -- first and foremost women and children," said the petition, published in Le Figaro newspaper.

Among those who signed the open letter were Russian journalist Andrei Babitsky, former European Union commissioner Emma Bonino, actresses Vanessa Redgrave and Isabelle Adjani, U.S. writer Susan Sontag, Albanian author Ismail Kadare and British historian Norman Davies.

The petition said Russia was a part of Europe and had to respect some basic humanitarian rules.

"No colonial wars, no civilian massacres, no racist cleansing. Mr Putin, it is time to make clear to you that this applies to everyone, small and large (countries) alike."

Criticism of the war in Chechnya has grown in the build up to Putin's three-day visit to Paris, during which he is due to meet French leaders and senior European Union officials.

Saturday's petition predicted that Putin would use the trip to repeat his call for the West to support him in his battle against "international terrorism."

"We are worried that despite the occasional disapproving murmuring, which will soon be forgotten, knowing silence (from Western leaders) will only reinforce his murderous convictions," the letter said.

"Crimes against humanity cannot be forgotten. Silence kills," it added. The petition called on people to demonstrate in central Paris on Monday evening against Putin and the war.

Russian forces have seized most of Chechnya in more than a year of savage fighting, but Chechen rebels are still holding out in the mountainous south.