Chechnya's Russian-backed government has dismissed a rebel ceasefire declaration, saying it was a publicity stunt that could not be trusted.
However, analysts have said the offer from rebel leaders Aslan Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev suggested they were responding to an increasingly strong desire in Moscow to end a war that has started to infect much of the North Caucasus.
It was reported earlier that Maskhadov ordered all Chechen fighters to observe a ceasefire in February in their separatist war against Russian troops.
According to a rebel website, Maskhadov ordered fighters to refrain from offensive operations until 22 February.
The website was quoting an aide to Basayev, Russia's most wanted man, who is believed to have organised last year's siege at a school in Beslan.
However, The Times newspaper in London has quoted Basayev as saying he still considered Russians citizens as targets.
It also quoted him as saying the Chechen rebels are planning more operations like the Beslan siege, in which 330 people died.
