9 servicemen killed in motor transport column explosion in Chechnya

Nine servicemen were killed in an explosion of a motor transport column in Chechnya, the Chechen Interior Ministry told RIA Novosti.

"On August 21, at 13.00, Moscow time, a powerful land mine exploded at the exit from the Petropavlovsky settlement (the Grozny district) when the motor transport column of the Defence Ministry passed," reported an interior ministry's officer. According to him, the explosion device was inside the Zhiguli car on the side of the road. The land mine was actuated by two people in fatigues, an interior ministry's representative said.

As a result of the explosion the ZIL-131 car was destroyed, and nine servicemen died, another two were wounded and taken to hospital.

Investigative measures are being taken, the interior ministry reported.