Moscow, Jul 26 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Hundreds of human foetuses discovered earlier this week in a forest in Russia's Urals region were possibly intended for use in scientific research, police have said.

Several barrels containing a total of 248 mummified human foetuses, aged between 22 and 26 weeks, were found by local residents in a remote forest gully in Russia's Urals Monday.

Russian authorities have launched a probe as the circumstances around the incident point out at its likely criminal nature.

"The preliminary data indicates that local hospitals donate embryos and foetuses to a scientific research facility," Valery Gorelykh said. "There are reasons to believe that the foetuses were dumped in the forest by this facility."

Embryos and foetuses from miscarriages and abortions are frequently used for stem cell research.

However, the Russian legislation allows women to terminate pregnancy until the 12th week. Late-term abortions can only be performed for medical reasons, if the mother's life is in danger, or if the pregnancy is the result of rape.

Local health authorities have sent inquiries to all hospitals with maternity wards and facilities specialised in the disposal of biomaterials within a 100 km radius of the dump site.

Some Russian lawmakers and experts claim that the foetuses could have belonged to a medical facility that practiced illegal abortions or to an organisation that conducted illegal medical research.