"A Russian defense ministry's column of motorized vehicles came under fire near the village of Avtury in the Shali district of Chechnya at about two in the afternoon," Vyacheslav Sedov said.

He added that according to preliminary information five law enforcers had been killed and 11 wounded, RIA Novosti reports.

A source in the Chechen law enforcement bodies said in turn that according to preliminary information six law enforcers were killed and 12 wounded in the attack on the column, which consisted of an armored vehicle and two Ural trucks.