Two powerful blasts rock downtown Grozny, 5 people die

GROZNY. August 21. KAZINFORM Two powerful blasts, supposedly staged by suicide-bombers, rocked downtown Grozny, the Chechen Interior Ministry reported on Friday, Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

"The blasts occurred in Mayakovskaya and Pervomaiskaya Streets. According to preliminary data, up to five people died," the ministry's spokesman said.

At the same time, a representative of the Investigation Department of the Russian SKP for the Chechen Republic specified that in Pervomaiskaya Street, "an unidentified person on a bicycle stopped at a post where two police officers were staying and blew up himself." According to preliminary data, both policemen died.

An investigation team is working at the site of the incident, Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.