MOSCOW, May 15 (KUNA) -- Former Chechen vice president Vakha Arsanov was killed Sunday when Russian forces raided a house in Staropromyslovsky district in the Chechen capital Grozny, reported the Russian television.
The Russian forces found burnt bodies of four militants, who were killed in the raid.
"The bodies were damaged in a fire in the wooden building they were staying in. A forensic medical examination will help identifying them," a source in the Chechen prosecutor's office told Russian news agency, Itar-Tass.
However, intelligence has pointed that Arsanov's body has been among them, said the television.
A source in the Chechen Interior Ministry told Itar-Tass, the four militants were inside a house during a ministry operation. "They rejected the surrender proposal and were killed in the clash," he said.
Arsanov, 46, supported Chechen separatist leader Dzhokhar Dudayev since 1991. He fought against federal forces together with Chechen armed units in 1994-96. In January 27, 1997, Arsanov was elected as the Chechen vice-president with former president Aslan Maskhadov.