Russian helicopter shot down by rebels

A Russian military helicopter was shot down by rebels in Chechnya today, killing nine soldiers, Interfax news agency reported.

The Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by a mobile rocket launcher apparently fired by rebels from a dilapidated five-storey building on the outskirts of the Chechen capital Grozny, said Lt. Boris Podoprigora, deputy commander of the Russian forces, according to Interfax.