"Unidentified individuals" attacked a car in which the diplomats were traveling on Saturday, and four diplomats were kidnapped and one was killed," the ministry said in a statement.

    The ministry and the Russian embassy in Iraq are taking measures, including contacts with the Iraqi authorities, the command of the multinational forces and other partners, to secure the release of the abducted diplomats, it said.

    Earlier, a police source in Baghdad told Xinhua unidentified gunmen attacked a Russian embassy vehicle in the Iraqi capital on Saturday, killing one diplomat and kidnapping four others. Enditem