Blast kills wife, daughter, sister of killed policeman in Dagestan

13.11.2009, 15.55

MAKHACHKALA, November 13, 2009 (Itar-Tass) --

The blast at a rural cemetery killed the wife, daughter and sister of a police major killed by the gunmen in Gubden, Karabudakhkent district of Dagestan, on Friday.

“The blast, which went off at 10.30 a.m. Moscow time on Friday, killed local school teacher Yelena Triftonigi and her daughter, who came to pay last tribute to husband and father Abdulmalik Magomedov, who was killed by the gunmen on October 21, 2008,” the press service of the Dagestani Interior Ministry told Itar-Tass on Friday. According to the specified reports, the sister of the policeman was also killed in the blast.

Magomedov was the chief of the territorial police station. Several more policemen were killed together with him in October 2008 by a gang led by Gubden resident Magomedali Vagabov.

“After the murder of the rural police chief the wives and mothers of the policemen were speaking up at mass gatherings against the actions of the gunmen. Local warlord Magomedali Vagabov threatened more than once to kill them,” the press service said.

Detectives are working at the scene. A criminal case is about to be instituted.

Ten militants killed in police operation in Chechnya

13.11.2009, 18.06

GROZNY, November 13, 2009 (Itar-Tass) --

Ten (men) were killed in a police operation in Chechnya on Friday, a source at the Chechen Interior Ministry told.

“A police operation supervised by State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov was held in the Shalazhi forest to order of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. Helicopters fired missiles at the militants, and the field operation of the interdepartmental guard regiment, the Akhmad Kadyrov regiment, the North battalion and the Achkhoi-Martan district police department began,” he said.

“Ten militants were killed. One of them was identified as Islam Uspakhadzhiyev alias Imam, born in 1973. The leader of an illegal armed group was a close associate of Doku Umarov. He was put on the federal wanted list for extortion, attack on police officers and illegal arms trade in 2005,” the source said.

“Kadyrov lauded the efficient police operation, in which none of the policemen was hurt,” he said.

Explosion sparks fire at Russian Defense Ministry depot in Ulyanovsk-2

13.11.2009, 18.33

MOSCOW, November 13, 2009 (Itar-Tass) --

An explosion occurred at the Russian Defense Ministry depot in Ulyanovsk. Possible casualties are being verified, acting ministry spokesman Col. Alexei Kuznetsov told Itar-Tass on Friday.

“An explosion at the Defense Ministry depot occurred on the eastern outskirts of Ulyanovsk at about 4:00 p.m. Moscow time, presumably during the disposal of munitions. The explosion sparked a fire,” he said. “The fire spread onto other buildings. Firemen and the regional department of the Emergency Situations Ministry are trying to contain the blaze. The area is cordoned.”

The regional government formed an operative staff under the supervision of Ulyanovsk Governor Sergei Morozov.

Military prosecutors are holding the investigation.

Ulyanovsk residents have been recommended to make reserves of drinking water and to acquire gauze masks. Besides, traffic will be limited near the fire scene.

Railroad traffic was suspended at the Verkhnaya Terrasa station until further notice because of the fire. The station is three kilometers away from the depot.