Five Russian soldiers killed in Chechnya ambush

GROZNY, Russia, Sep 21 (Reuters) Five Russian soldiers were killed today in the volatile Chechnya region in an ambush by gunmen who riddled their military jeep with bullets, police said.

The attack took place as the soldiers' jeep drew up to a crossroads in Chechnya's regional capital of Grozny.

''The gunmen had been waiting in a car without number plates by the roadside near a bus stop,'' a Chechen policeman, who asked not to be named, told Reuters at the scene. ''When the car with the soldiers approached a nearby crossroads, they opened fire.'' Chechen Prosecutor-General Valery Kuznetsov said the attack was ''a thoroughly prepared ambush'', Interfax news agency said.

Four soldiers, part of an Interior Ministry force sent to Chechnya from other Russian regions, died immediately and another while being taken to hospital.

There was no immediate official word on who was behind the attack which came after Chechen separatist leader Doku Umarov ruled out peace talks with the Kremlin and pledged to continue the campaign of violence.

Pools of blood and broken glass covered the road -- a busy thoroughfare a few km from the main Chechen government headquarters.

''The fire was so fierce that the bodies and heads were literally riddled with bullets,'' another Chechen policeman said, adding that the attackers escaped.

Large-scale fighting has stopped in Chechnya and Moscow has managed to kill rebel President Aslan Maskhadov and rebel warlord, Shamil Basayev, Russia's most wanted man.

Russian forces and local allies control most of Chechnya, and dozens of rebels have turned in weapons under an amnesty.

But the situation in the North Caucasus remains chaotic, and it is unclear how many armed rebels are still active after the 12-year insurgency.

REUTERS SP VV1656