A suicide bombing killed a police officer and injured four other officers early Tuesday at an internal border checkpoint in North Ossetia.
The explosion occurred at about 4:30 a.m. when a Lada VAZ 2109 with Ingush license plates crossed the border from the Ingush side, and was pulled over by the police for inspection, police said in a statement.
The driver, who remained inside the vehicle, then set off the explosion, killing police Lieutenant Zaur Dzhilikov.
Four other officers were hospitalized with various injuries.
The powerful blast scattered car parts as far as 100 meters, RIA-Novosti reported, citing police. The border checkpoint was also completely destroyed.
The explosive device is believed to have contained the equivalent of 30 kilograms of TNT, RIA-Novosti said.
The circumstances surrounding the attack were still being clarified. Police believe the car might have been heading to Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia.
Police have established the identity of the vehicle’s owner, a resident of Ingushetia, Interfax reported.
North Ossetian leader Taimuraz Mamsurov said an investigation has been opened to find the organizers of the blast.
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