Russian Coup Plot Allegations Probed

MOSCOW — Russia’s military prosecutor’s office opened an investigation Friday into whether top generals tried to mobilize troops to pressure President Boris N. Yeltsin during his shake-up at the Kremlin.

The accusation was made by Alexander I. Lebed, Yeltsin’s new national security chief.

Yeltsin has worked to strengthen his team before a July 3 presidential runoff with his Communist rival, and on Thursday he dismissed a trio of powerful hard-liners. Earlier, he fired his defense minister, Gen. Pavel S. Grachev, to win favor with Lebed.

Also Friday, two Russian armored personnel carriers hit mines in Grozny, capital of the breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya, killing five servicemen.