AT LEAST 13 people were killed including two children in a crash on Sunday night (July 2) on a highway in Russia's Tatarstan region, as an intercity bus collided with a truck, media reported.

15 people have been taken to hospital, some in critical condition, local media reported.

The investigators were quoted as saying that the driver of the bus which was in route from the Eastern Russian city of Samara to Izhevsk may have been blinded by headlights of the truck. After the collision the bus rolled over and caught fire.

Footage released by the emergencies' service showed charred carcass of the bus in the middle of the highway and a truck lying on the road side.

Drivers of both vehicles were taken in for questioning, investigators said.