Cult Members Emerge from Russian Cave Siege

Fresh talks are under way to persuade 28 doomsday cult members in Russia to end a five-month cave siege after seven sect women came to the surface.

The women were allowed to leave with cult leader Pyotr Kuznetsov after he was brought to the scene to negotiate.

The True Russian Orthodox Church members barricaded themselves into the cave in the Penza region, about 650km (400 miles) south-east of Moscow.

They are waiting for doomsday, which they believe will occur in May.

The members entered the cave in October and have refused to come out.

They threatened to detonate gas canisters if attempts were made to remove them and this week reportedly shot at police to drive them off.

However, there are reports of a split in the cult after a number of cave-ins due to prolonged rainfall. There are fears the cave could collapse completely.

The 35 sectmembers, including 4 children, went underground in the Penza Regionlast November in order to "save themselves during the time of theapocalypse," which they say will come this May. They have threatened toset fire to themselves if any attempt is made to force them to come tothe surface.