Nine Russian soldiers were killed and two others wounded in a bomb explosion in Grozny district, capital of Russia's republic of Chechnya, Interfax quoted military sources as saying on Friday.

Two men in camouflage triggered off a bomb planted in a Lada car parked on the sideway near the village of Petropavlovsky at about 1 p.m. (local time) on Thursday, Interfax reported.

The bomb blew up as a column of military vehicles drove by, fully destroying a Zil-131 truck.

Search and investigation efforts are in progress at the scene.

Rebels in Chechnya have stepped up attacks recently as presidential elections in the war-ravaged republic are getting nearer. The presidential elections will take place on October 5.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2003)