Blast reported after Putin-Bush summit

An explosion injured a policeman in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi after Russia's President Vladimir Putin met United …

An explosion injured a policeman in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi after Russia's President Vladimir Putin met United States leader George W. Bush, RIA Novosti news agency reported today.

The policeman was checking a bag found outside a cinema yesterday when it exploded, the source inside the security services told RIA Novosti.

"As a result of the injuries both hands had to be amputated and there were abdominal injuries," the source said.

Mr Bush flew out of Russia yesterday after the end of the two day summit. Itar-Tass news agency said the explosion occurred last night, after the summit at Mr Putin's villa on the outskirts of the city and when Mr Bush had already left.

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Sochi is due to host the 2014 winter Olympics. It lies on the edge of the volatile Caucasus region and is only a few hours drive from Chechnya where rebel bombs occasionally kill Russian security forces.