Human rights groups say Chechens have suffered atrocities at the hands of Russian soldiers

She was allegedly abducted from her village near Urus Martan by Colonel Budanov in March last year.

Witnesses who will be giving evidence say she was at home with her family when soldiers dragged her away in an armoured personnel carrier.

Kheda's body was found two days later, badly disfigured.

Colonel Budanov has admitted the murder, but denies it was pre-meditated.

He told the court he detained the woman because he thought she was a sniper. He then strangled her in an angry outburst during an interrogation.

The court will also hear allegations that another soldier, Lieutenant-Colonel Ivan Fyodorov, ordered his men to open fire on the village without good reason.

Human rights concerns

The cases are being used by Russia to show that it will take action if crimes are committed in Chechnya.

But organisations monitoring human rights believe these trials are just the tip of an iceberg.

They accuse the Russian army of carrying out widespread abuses in Chechnya.

The latest allegations follow the discovery of a mass grave in the Chechen capital, Grozny, during the past week.

Human rights groups say that 27 bodies have been removed so far from a pit in a Grozny suburb.

It is claimed they were civilian victims of the Russian army, but the military disputes that, insisting they were killed by Chechen rebels.