Russia's Supreme Court yesterday quashed a not guilty verdict and ordered a second retrial of four special forces soldiers accused of killing civilians in Chechnya, writes Neil Buckley in Moscow.

The four have twice been found not guilty by military court juries of murdering six Chechens in 2002, including a pregnant woman. Russia's highest court last year overturned an initial not guilty verdict against Captain Eduard Ulman and three subordinates, but a second military jury also delivered a not guilty verdict.