Troops blamed for Chechnya casualties

Russian troops have been targeted by suicide bombers in Chechnya

Russian troops in Chechnya have been held partly to blame for a rebel attack that killed their comrades.

Twenty five died in the bombing of a police hostel in Argun 15km (nine miles) east of the capital Grozny - one of four attacks across the region on Sunday.

Commanders accused servicemen in the town of lax security, saying the suicide bomber who blew up the hostel with a truck full of explosives had been able to drive through two checkpoints.

The Russian military commander in Chechnya, Colonel-General Gennadiy Troshev, said troops in Argun had ignored his warnings.

In total, at least 40 people were killed and scores injured in the wave of suicide attacks.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry said a lorry packed with explosives was driven at speed through Argun into a dormitory housing Russian special forces at about 2000 local time (1600 GMT) on Sunday.

Speaking on Russian radio, the Russian-appointed head of Chechnya's provisional government Akhmad Kadyrov also blamed troops on duty at checkpoints for failing to halt the lorry.

"The units were careless when doing their duties. If a car passes checkpoints and does not stop, I think it should be destroyed," he said.

Unconfirmed reports said that the lorry used in the Argun attack had been fired on after passing a nearby checkpoint, and that the driver was killed before the explosives detonated.

Eyewitnesses reported the lorry then hitting the gate of the police hostel in Argun at high speed and exploding.

The blast blew a hole in the ground five metres deep and 10 metres wide, and hurled parts of the truck hundreds of metres from the scene.

Twenty-five Russians were killed outright and the building was destroyed. It is feared that there may be more casualties under the rubble

It was the highest toll yet in a series of bombings and ambushes that Chechen rebels have unleashed on Russian troops and pro-Moscow Chechen officials over the past month.

Our correspondent says Russian President Vladimir Putin has met military commanders to discuss the worsening situation.

Moscow officials are due to fly to the scene, and a ministry helicopter has taken rescue workers to Argun from the neighbouring republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.

More attacks

Chechen rebel spokesman Movladi Udugov said: "Chechen suicide bombers in four towns - Urus-Martan, Gudermes, Argun and Noyber - killed many Russians last night."

The rebels have launched a series of bombings, including suicide attacks, targeting Russian checkpoints and offices in Chechnya.

The Russian military said on Sunday a suicide driver blew up his truck near a police station in the town of Gudermes, Chechnya's second largest city.

The head of the Russian military administration in the breakaway republic, General Ivan Babichev, confirmed there was also an attack in Urus-Martan, but did not give casualty figures.

"A driver with a truck full of explosives blew himself up near the military administration of Urus-Martan. Rebels nearby then opened fire on the building, but the attack was repelled," Mr Babichev said.