2 Grozneftegaz employees kidnapped in Chechnya

Two Grozneftegaz employees were kidnapped in Chechnya, reported the Chechen Interior Ministry.

According to a RIA source, yesterday four unidentified people drove a Niva (car) to Grozneftegaz's building in the Oktyabrsky district and forcefully took two of the companies employees. Both employees came from Neftekumsk (Stavropol territory bordering Chechnya to the north) to work in Chechnya.

After that, the car disappeared in the unknown direction.

One the kidnappers, who is on the federal wanted list, has been identified, the ministry reported.

Meanwhile, an explosion killed one policeman and wounded several others in Grozny.

According to a RIA source, the explosion took place Monday evening at the intersection of Khankalskaya and Gudermesskaya streets as two UAZ cars with members of a police detachment sent to Chechnya from the Khanty-Mansi automous area (west Siberia) were driving.

The source did not give the exact number of victims.