Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of February 7-13, 2022

Public outcry from the signatures under the petition for the resignation of Ramzan Kadyrov; shelling attacks in the Karabakh conflict zone and near the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan; reports of law enforcers about the prevention of terror acts in Northern Caucasus, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of February 7-13, 2022, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Public outcry from signatures under petition for resignation of Ramzan Kadyrov

On February 6, Moscow opposition politician Ilya Yashin posted a petition on the website “Change.org” with the demand for the resignation of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The petition is addressed to Vladimir Putin. By February 12, the number of signatories under the petition exceeded 200,000. Ilya Yashin mentioned the threats voiced by the Chechen authorities against the Yangulbaev family and public threats against journalists and human rights defenders. The signatures under the petition can be gained through bots, so the Kremlin does not take it seriously, the presidential press secretary says. Political analysts suggest that the Kremlin approves of the Ramzan Kadyrov’s policy in Chechnya and will not dismiss the leader of Chechnya, despite the popularity of the petition. On February 9, in response to the petition, Ramzan Kadyrov’s aide Umar Daudov launched a flash mob on Instagram under the hashtag #YapekhotinetsKadyrova (“I’m Kadyrov’s infantryman).

Shelling attacks in Karabakh conflict zone and near border between Armenia and Azerbaijan

The situation in the Karabakh conflict zone and near the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is still far from stable. On February 10, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Azerbaijan reported that the Armenian military shelled the positions in the Kelbadjar district, after which, according to the military officials, return fire was opened. However, the Armenian Ministry of Defence denied the above information. On February 11, the Azerbaijani MoD reiterated that the Armenian armed forces shelled the positions of the Azerbaijani army in Kelbadjar. Also on February 11, Ombudsperson of Nagorno-Karabakh Gegam Stepanyan reported that the Azerbaijani military forces fired at the residential buildings of the Tagavard and Karmir Shouka (the Azerbaijani name is Qırmızı Bazar, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”) communities. In Karmir Shouka, a bullet hit the house where a large family lives. According to local residents, the village is being shelled every day from the Azerbaijani side, despite the presence of peacekeepers.

Creation of a commission in Armenian parliament to investigate circumstances of 44-day war for Karabakh

The Armenian parliament announces that a commission has been formed to investigate the circumstances of the 2020 autumn war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The parliamentary commission will mainly work in secret mode. The opposition parliamentary factions “Hayastan” and “I have the Honour” refused to participate in the work of the commission and noted that “the authorities could not objectively consider their own actions.”

Reports of law enforcers about prevention of terror acts in Northern Caucasus

On February 8, the Russian National Antiterrorist (NAC) Committee reported about the prevention of terror acts in educational institutions in Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and the Stavropol Territory, which were planned by members of the units of international terrorist organizations. According to the NAC, the terror acts were also prevented in Moscow, Crimea, and the Tver Region. The law enforcers note that supporters of the destructive “Columbine” ideology were involved in the preparation of most of the prevented terror acts. On February 2, the “Columbine” movement was recognized by the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia as a terrorist organization banned in the country. On February 11, the Investigating Department for the Stavropol Territory of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) accused the 18-year-old local resident of plotting a terror act on an infrastructure facility. According to the investigators’ version, the young man swore allegiance to an extremist organization banned in Russia and then tried to recruit people to participate in the activities of the terrorist organization. According to the investigators’ version, in the spring of 2021, the suspect prepared a place for laying explosives and purchased a TNT bomb, but could not carry out his plan because of his detention.

Arrest in Volgograd of defender of Volga-Akhtuba floodplain

On February 7, in Volgograd, the police detained Mikhail Solomonov, a member of the City Public Chamber. The court recognized him an organizer of a bike ride, because of which public order was violated, and sentenced him to five days of arrest. Mikhail Solomonov was also accused of failing to comply with the lawful demand of a police officer, for which the court sentenced him to other 10 days of arrest.

According to activists, Mikhail Solomonov is well-known as the defender of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, and his arrest is connected with his activities and became an act of intimidation against those who disagree with the actions of the authorities, but that will not stop the activities of opponents of cutting down trees in the floodplain. On February 8, the activists held pickets in support of Mikhail Solomonov. Let us remind you that Volgograd activists are protesting against cutting down oak trees for the construction of a road in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, a permit for which was issued by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources in June 2021.