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| Russians killed in Georgia blast | |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A blast in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia killed seven Russian soldiers, a Russian commander says. | |
| The deaths happened when a car full of explosives blew up near a Russian military base in the regional capital, Tskhinvali, local officials said. | |
| Seven other soldiers were injured in the blast, the top Russian military commander in South Ossetia said. | |
| Tension remains high in the region following the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the summer. | Tension remains high in the region following the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the summer. |
| According to a statement from the South Ossetian breakaway government, Russian troops had confiscated the vehicle that blew up from an ethnic Georgian village because it was carrying weapons. | According to a statement from the South Ossetian breakaway government, Russian troops had confiscated the vehicle that blew up from an ethnic Georgian village because it was carrying weapons. |
| Russian television footage showed a black plume of smoke rising from behind metal gates at the base. | Russian television footage showed a black plume of smoke rising from behind metal gates at the base. |
| The South Ossetian authorities blamed Georgia for the blast, Russian media reported. | |
| "That was a deliberate terrorist act prepared by the Georgian Security Ministry," Itar-Tass news agency quoted South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity as saying. | |
| Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili rejected the allegation. | |
| "I think this is a provocation with the aim of keeping Russian forces in Georgia," he told the AFP new agency. | |
| EU monitors | EU monitors |
| The BBC's James Rodgers, in Moscow, says it is the most serious incident in South Ossetia since Russia and Georgia fought over the territory two months ago. | The BBC's James Rodgers, in Moscow, says it is the most serious incident in South Ossetia since Russia and Georgia fought over the territory two months ago. |
| Fighting began there on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. | Fighting began there on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. |
| Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia, several days later. | Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia, several days later. |
| Earlier this week, European Union monitors entered a Russian-controlled buffer zone around South Ossetia, as part of a French-brokered peace deal between the two sides. | Earlier this week, European Union monitors entered a Russian-controlled buffer zone around South Ossetia, as part of a French-brokered peace deal between the two sides. |
| Russia says it will pull out from the buffer zone and another around Abkhazia by 10 October. | Russia says it will pull out from the buffer zone and another around Abkhazia by 10 October. |
| But it has recognised the two breakaway regions as independent and says it will keep nearly 8,000 troops in the two areas. | But it has recognised the two breakaway regions as independent and says it will keep nearly 8,000 troops in the two areas. |
| The EU wants its observers to have access to the breakaway regions, but Russia has repeatedly refused to guarantee that. |