Biaslan Gochiyayev, a militant boss in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Karachai-Circassia, as well as three of his assistants, were killed in a gunfight, the National Antiterrorism Committee said on Thursday.
The car with the four men came under fire from security forces on Wednesday evening when it refused to stop on a highway.
The gunmen returned fire and then an explosive device went off inside the car, killing all four.
The militants had been planning a series of terrorist acts, including a female suicide bomb attack, the NAC said.