Police have detained the persons who were directly involved in the attack on the Baksan hydropower plant in Kabardino-Balkaria on July 21, 2010, an official at the Investigation Committee of the Russian Federation (SK) said on Tuesday.

"As a result of the competent investigative actions and search, the SK, together with the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) ascertained the identities of all the saboteurs, who were members of the gang operating in the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria's Baksan district," the official said.

"The investigators have evidence of their involvement in the murder of Baksan precinct investigator Albert Shibzukhov and interrogating officer of the Bailiffs Service Murat Dokshukin, whose decapitated bodies were found in December 2009. The gang also killed cleric Khazrail Malbakhov in June 2001, road police officers at the bus terminal in the town f Baksan in April 2010, police offices near the village of Islamei in September 2010 at the Kyzburun checkpoint, and attempted to murder an SFB officer in the town of Baksan in the summer of 2010 and district policemen in the village of Zayukovo," the SK said.

"Several days after the sabotage, police destroyed two gang members – Ruslan Orshokdugov and Rustam Seyunov. Two other gunmen were detained. They confessed to sabotaging the HPP and named their accomplices. The investigators found out that the crime had been committed with the view of causing damage to the state.

"Investigative and other procedural actions are underway to solidify the basis of evidence. Also, law-enforcement bodies are looking for other saboteurs," the SK said.

On July 21, 2010, unidentified gunmen attacked the Baksan hydroelectric power plant in Kabardino-Balkaria. They killed two police officers who were guarding the station, and planted five homemade bombs with a yield of 1.5 to 3 kilograms of TNT. The ensuring explosions and fire put three HPP generators out of order.