48 Dead In Chechen Bomb Attack On Gov’t Building

"We cannot and will not allow this to happen," he added.

The head of the republic’s Nadterechny district, Sultan Akhmetkhanov, said the death toll may rise as workers continue to search for victims.

"Security services opened fire on the truck but unfortunately could not stop it," Akhmetkhanov said.

The truck tore through the gates and slammed into the building, causing a deafening blast that also damaged six other buildings as well as the government building, which also housed the local police and FSB security services, according to Akhmad Kadyrov, head of Chechnya ‘s pro-Russian administration.

Police and interior ministry soldiers have sealed off the site as workers with the republic’s emergencies ministry and federal troops searched the rubble for victims.

The blast proved that federal and local forces were incapable of putting an end to the operations of Chechen fighters, Kadyrov told Interfax news agency.

"Where did this car packed with explosives come from? How could it get to Znamenskoye?" he asked.

Last month, 16 people were killed in an attack on a minibus in Chechnya in a blast claimed by Chechen fighters who have vowed to step up attacks to disrupt the results of a controversial March vote that sealed Chechnya ‘s place in the Russian Federation .

Kadyrov said Monday’s early morning blast was a direct attack on the March vote, in which voters also gave their go-ahead for legislative and presidential elections within the year.

"It is against the people of the republic, who on the March 23 referendum chose peace and life in staying within Russia ," Kadyrov said.