ALSO: Hundreds detained in security sweep after Moscow blasts MESSAGE BOARD: Russia's future

September 16, 1999
Web posted at: 5:29 a.m. EDT (0929 GMT)

MOSCOW (CNN) -- An apparent truck bomb has killed 13 people and injured 115 in the southern Russian city of Volgodonsk.

The Russian Emergency Ministry told CNN the blast occurred at an entrance to a 9-story apartment building, destroying its facade. Investigators believe the explosion was caused by a bomb in a truck outside the building.

The Rostov Region Interior Ministry officials said a truck pulled up to the first entrance of the building at approximately 6 a.m., and 15 minutes later there was an explosion.

Authorities said the building is one of several hundred, even thousands, checked for possible explosives this week as part of a nationwide security operation dubbed "Operation Whirlwind".

Police checked the basement and attic and spoke with residents, officials said, and because of that, authorities believe the perpetrators were not able to store any explosives in the building.

This is the fifth supected or confirmed terrorist act in Russia in the past two weeks. Moscow has had two deadly apartment explosions which killed more than 200, as well as a bombing at a downtown shopping center. In the southern Russian city of Buinaksk another apartment building blast killed another 64 people.

President Boris Yeltsin wwas epxected to meet with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Thursday; Putin planned to report to the president on the wave of terrorism.

On Monday, 118 people died in a Moscow apartment explosion. Authorities have not produced any evidence linking the blasts to any particular group, but Russian authorities suspected Islamic militants from southern Russia were responsible for the explosions earlier this month.

Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.

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