Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov was killed in an explosion that rocked a stadium in Grozny, capital of Russia's Chechen Republic, on Sunday.

The blast occurred at about 10:40 AM Moscow time (06:40 GMT) as a mine planted under a VIP-seating area in the Dynamo stadium blew up during a ceremony marking Russia's 59th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Kadyrov's death, Itar-Tass reported.

"Kadyrov passed away on May 9 on the day of our national holiday, Victory Day," Putin was quoted as saying during a meeting with Kadyrov's son Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen presidential security escort.

"He left this world undefeated," said Putin, praising Kadyrov as "a real, heroic man".

"The choice of Chechen people is a conscious one," said Ramzan.

The 52-year-old Kadyrov, a one-time Muslim cleric, was elected president of Russia's Chechen republic last October.

At least 14 people were killed and 38 wounded in the blast in Grozny, ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has launched a criminal investigation into the blast on charges of murder and terrorism.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2004)