Ammunition Blast Kills Six Russian Soldiers

Authorities say six Russian soldiers have died in an explosion caused by improperly handled ammunition.

Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said the blast occurred on May 2 at a military training center near Nizhny Novgorod, some 400 kilometers east of the capital, Moscow.

Three more soldiers were injured in the explosion.

The men reportedly had been unloading artillery rounds from a truck when the ammunition exploded.

The base is also used as a facility for the destruction of old artillery shells and small-arms ammunition that are no longer safe to use.

Accidental explosions occur frequently in Russia's armed forces.

Based on reporting by Interfax, dpa, and ITAR-TASS