Russian sapper dies in mortar round blast in Chechnya

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian contract serviceman was killed late Monday while attempting to disarm an old mortar round near a village in eastern Chechnya, a local police source said on Tuesday.

"A team of sappers was clearing the area when an old 82-mm mortar round buried in the ground exploded," the source said.

One of the soldiers died at the scene from injuries sustained in the blast.