GROZNY, Russia (Reuters) - Russian warplanes Thursday twice attacked the rebel region of Chechnya but Prime Minister Vladimir Putin denied that a major assault was planned.

Jets struck at the Chechen capital Grozny in the morning and again in the early evening, stepping up a campaign against a region that Russia says harbors Islamic guerrillas who have twice attacked the neighboring region of Dagestan.

``We are planning no large-scale military operation in Chechnya but we intend to protect our citizens,'' Putin said as he arrived for a visit in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana.

``We plan to protect our people from bandits. You will see later how this will be done but there will be nothing similar to what happened during the ill-fated military operation (of 1994-96).''

Tens of thousands died in 1994-96 when Russia tried to quell Chechnya's independence bid by force. Russian troops withdrew after a peace deal left the separatists in charge.

Thursday's first raid targeted Grozny's tiny airport, destroying a small Antonov An-2 utility plane, the only aircraft the Chechens have except for President Aslan Maskhadov's official jet, which is grounded due to a lack of spare parts.

Moscow said it had also attacked arms depots at the airport and a radar station. Other targets included a fuel dump, an oil-processing plant and an electricity sub-station in a suburb of Grozny, Interfax news agency said.

The deputy head of the airport said an Armenian technician had been killed in the attack.

BURNING WRECKAGE, BLOOD

Reuters Television pictures showed the An-2's crumpled and burning shell, a pool of blood and smashed airport windows.

The Russian air force said the plane had been used by guerrillas to ferry arms and ammunition to fighters Moscow says are trying to spread subversion through the North Caucasus.

Putin, visiting the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, had earlier said the guerrillas would be ``pursued wherever they are -- in the airport, yes in the airport.''

On arrival in Astana, he said he would seek the support of other leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

``All the leaders of the CIS understand that if we, here and now, do not tear the head off aggressors and terrorists then it will be worse later. But we will definitely do this.''

Other CIS leaders also have security problems. Kyrgyzstan is fighting up to 700 gunmen who have attacked the south of the country and have hostages including four Japanese geologists.

Russia has also linked the rebels to a wave of bomb blasts which have killed 300 people in Moscow and other towns, and is building fortifications to try to seal the border with Chechnya.

Interfax said that when news of the aerial attack came, the Chechen government was already meeting in emergency session to discuss its readiness to fight Russia's ``aggression.''

Military analyst Alexander Golts said the attack appeared designed to ``prove that they really control Chechen airspace.''

ARTILLERY ALSO IN ACTION

Warplanes and artillery also continued to pound rebel targets elsewhere in Chechnya to prevent more attacks on Dagestan, the army said. Russia denies Chechen claims that its strikes have devastated villages and killed civilians.

An army spokesman in the Dagestani capital, Makhachkala, said the guerrillas, who operate beyond the control of the Chechen government, were not giving up attempts to destabilize Dagestan and were preparin new military action.

Military analysts are not convinced by Russia's insistence that it is not planning a ground invasion.

``It's not a question of 'Will they or won't they?'. It's a question of when,'' said Golts.