DUSHANBE, September 16, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Four Russian servicemen were killed and four others were injured Tuesday night as their truck KAMAZ collided with minivan belonging to China’s construction company, China Road, in the southern Khatlon province, according to the press service of the Ministry of Interior.

The accident took place on  the highway from Dushanbe to Danghara, near the city of Norak.

“Minivan went into oncoming traffic and collided with a truck KAMAZ with servicemen of the Russian military base in Tajikistan on board” said the source, “As a result of collision, both vehicles overturned; four Russian servicemen, including the driver, Lieutenant-Colonel Pavel Kulakovsky and two contract servicemen  were killed, while four other servicemen, including Captain Dmitry Danilov, Captain Ilya Puzanov and two contract servicemen, as well as the minivan driver received various injuries and were taken to the central city hospital in Norak.”

KAMAZ with servicemen of the Russian military base and the Russian surveillance center in Norak on board was reportedly moving to the Tajik-Afghan border for operational training.