A local warlord believed to be involved with high-profile attacks in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria has reportedly been killed in a security operation.The Russian National Antiterrorist Commitee (NAC) said special forces began a search operation in a mountainous area of the republic's Urvan district after a group of armed men were seen in the area. A number of gunmen were killed in a subsequent firefight.
The NAC said one of those killed has been tentatively identified as Ruslan Makoyev. Makoyev's group has been blamed for a number of terrorist acts in Kabardino-Balkaria, including last year's murder of the rector of the Agrarian University, Boris Zherukov.
Zherukov was also a prominent legislator who led the ruling United Russia party's faction in the local assembly.