Car blast in Moldovan capital, at least one injured

A Chisinau resident, Yevgeny Balakin, who saw the blast from inside a building, said the force of the explosion shattered the windows of other cars nearby.

He said he had seen three dead bodies but this could not be confirmed by police.

The area, which is close to the building of the state security service and other government bodies, was quickly sealed off by police who declined to comment on the matter.

The former Soviet republic, one of the poorest states in Europe, held local elections last weekend, including the vote for the new mayor of Chisinau.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov and Richard Balmforth; Editing by Jon Boyle)