Nine Russian soldiers were killed when a landmine exploded near a column of Russian military trucks in rebel Chechnya, Russian news agencies reported today.
A military officer at army headquarters in Chechnya wasquoted by Interfax news agency as saying two other soldiers were injured by the blast that hit the convoy on Thursday near the regional capital of Grozny.
"Two unidentified men wearing military camouflage exploded a landmine placed in a light car," the officer said.
Interfax said that one military truck wasdestroyed in the explosion.
Russia sent troops back into the rebel region in 1999 to end three years of de facto independence by Chechens and says it has established nominal control over the territory. But there are daily killings of Russian soldiers from rebel raids.
Despite mounting losses, the Kremlin is refusing to talk to separatist leaders and is pushing ahead with a peace plan hinging on a regional presidential election scheduled for October 5th.