Seven soldiers hospitalized after military truck crashes in Moscow

A Russian military truck overturned and crashed into a lamppost in Moscow Tuesday, injuring seven soldiers, military officials said.

The incident, in which the driver lost control of the truck, occurred around 6:40 a.m. local time in northern Moscow, said a spokesman for the Moscow military prosecutor's office, Vasily Tikhonov. He said none of the wounded, who were all hospitalized, were in life threatening conditions.

The vehicle was transporting 21 servicemen from the Russian Interior Ministry, the Gazeta.ru news Web site said, citing police officials.

Traffic police said last month that road accidents in Russia went up by 8 percent in 2004, with 75 percent of them the fault of drivers.

The most common violations are speeding, driving into the incoming lane and incorrect driving at crossroads.

More than 49 million traffic violations were registered in 2004, traffic police said, adding that close to 17,000 accidents were reported in the first two months of this year.

Associated Press