Nine Russian Soldiers Reported Killed In Chechnya

7 August 2005 -- Chechnya's pro-Kremlin administration said today that nine Russian soldiers were killed and nine more wounded in weekend clashes with Chechen separatist rebels.

In the bloodiest attack, three federal soldiers were killed and two wounded when separatists opened fire on their military vehicle near the southeastern city of Vedeno.

Russian forces withdrew from Chechnya following a 1994-96 war. They returned to the republic in 1999 after Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Chechen separatists for a series of deadly bombings in Russia.

(AFP)