Russian special forces killed three gunmen during a shootout in a town in the southern region of Dagestan today, Interfax news agency reported.
The report offered no details on what triggered the shootout but violence has increased in Dagestan during the last few years. Analysts say high unemployment and frustration are driving Dagestani youths to militant groups.
Interfax said the special operation lasted for around 40 minutes and involved armoured personnel carriers. There were no Russian deaths it said.
Today's incident occurred in the western town of Khasavyurt, about 65 km (40 miles) west of the regional capital Makhachkala, which is often at the centre of the fighting.
Dagestan lies next to Chechnya where Russian forces have fought rebels in two wars since 1994. Fighting has died down in Chechnya since the Kremlin promoted a local leader to commander and ordered him to rebuild the region and hunt down the remaining rebels.