MOSCOW — Russian news agencies say natural gas to the republic of North Ossetia has been shut off because a suspected explosive device was found at a pipeline.
Reports by the state-run ITAR-Tass and RIA Novosti agencies cite unidentified law-enforcement sources as saying the suspected bomb was found along the pipeline at a point where it passes through the republic of Ingushetia.
Explosives experts were concerned that trying to dismantle the device on Sunday night would be dangerous, so gas shipments were temporarily shut off, ITAR-Tass reported.
North Ossetia borders both Chechnya and Ingushetia, republics plagued by violence linked to separatist insugents.
