Explosion in Dagestan town

At least 15 people are reported to have been killed by an explosion in the town of Kaspiisk in the southern republic of Dagestan.

The blast ripped through the main square of the town in the region bordering Chechnya at around 0930 local time (0530 GMT).

A spokesman for the regional police headquarters, Abdul Musayev, said at least 80 people were injured in the explosion, which happened during a holiday demonstration.

The cause of the blast in Kaspiisk, which is on the Caspian Sea just south of the capital of the Dagestan region, Makhachkala, was not immediately known.

Victory Day

The explosion came as Russia marked the 57th anniversary of victory in World War II in ceremonies across the country, occurring only minutes before President Vladimir Putin addressed a parade in Moscow's Red Square.

Dagestan sees frequent small-scale bombings and other unrest, often related to the 31-month war between separatist rebels and Russian forces in the neighbouring breakaway region of Chechnya.

Chechen rebel groups have been linked to terror attacks in neighbouring republics.