Explosions in Grozny were not terror acts, power agents assert

The three explosions that occurred in the evening on February 8 in two districts of Grozny, the Chechen capital, were not terror acts. In one case a grenade blew up, while the two other explosions could be just of everyday origin, sources from power structures of Chechnya believe.

"The explosions in the Leninsky and Oktiabrskiy Districts of Grozny, which happened in the evening on February 8, do not fall under the definition of a 'terror act'. The information about them was wrongly presented by the media," said a spokesman from the regional law enforcement bodies.

"The two explosions, which occurred at 7:45 and 8:00 p.m. in Lermontov Street in Grozny, were apparently directed against a private security officer at the local MIA. One small-power explosive device was triggered in the garbage bin near the officer' house; the second one - under his Toyota Land Cruiser-200 car," said the source. "The fact is checked, since it is possible that the bombings could have a purely domestic origin. The point is here not so much in the attempt on the life of the officer, but in intentional destruction of his property."

According to the latest data, the victims of these explosions were a militia sergeant from the city of Argun and a 17-year-old local resident.

In the opinion of the source, another incident connected with an explosion occurred in Derbent Street in Grozny has also nothing to do with a terror act.

"Employees of the republic's OMON (special militia) and other units were conducting a check of the received intelligence data that members of bandit formations were hiding in one of the apartment houses in Derbent Street. When power agents were approaching the house, one of the suspected bandits threw a grenade at them and managed to escape by take advantage of the turmoil. Three OMON fighters received light fragmental wounds received. The criminal is currently searched," the source said.