Russian law enforcement authorities said Monday that they shot and killed three men accused of plotting attacks on police officers in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria late last week.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said the men were inside a vehicle near the village of Islamei, around 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) north of the regional capital of Nalchik, when police approached them.
According to investigators, the men opened fire on law enforcement officers when they were told to lay down their weapons, and they were subsequently killed by return fire.
Both the Investigative Committee and Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said the men were members of an “international terrorist organization” but did not provide further details.
According to the FSB, the men were allegedly planning an armed attack on law enforcement authorities in Kabardino-Balkaria.
An FSB video shared by state media showed three bodies on the ground alongside automatic weapons, handguns and explosives. A separate video showed police investigators at the scene of the shootout.
The Investigative Committee said it launched a criminal probe into illegal arms possession and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. The FSB said it was investigating the alleged planned terrorist attack.
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