Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of April 3-9, 2023

Armed clashes in Ingushetia, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, continuation of the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, case against the leaders of the Ingush protest, official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of April 3-9, 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Armed conflict in Northern Caucasus

On April 3, at a farm in Malgobek, law enforcers discovered a group of alleged participants of an attack on a road-and-patrol police service (known as DPS) checkpoint. However, the suspects opened fire on the law enforcers, wounded one of them, and fled. On April 3, a counterterrorist operation (CTO) legal regime was announced in the Malgobek District of Ingushetia. On April 5, law enforcers discovered a group of alleged militants during the CTO operation, carried out in the village of Zyazikov-Yurt. The suspects opened fire when the law enforcers tried to detain them. As a result, three law enforcers were killed, and eight others were wounded.

Besides, on April 5, it became known that a dead body was discovered, presumably belonging to Movsar Kottoev, who was put on the wanted list in the case on the attack on the DPS checkpoint in Ingushetia.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

Last week, in Southern Russia, courts continued to fine local residents for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. On April 7, Vitaly Rubaev, a resident of North Ossetia, was fined. The official website of the Soviet District Court of Vladikavkaz reports that Vitaly Rubaev left on the “VKontakte” social media outlet “the comments aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” It is noted that the resident of North Ossetia used bad language in his comments. Vitaly Rubaev explained that he had posted his comments “out of stupidity.” The man pleaded guilty.

Alexander Marchenko, a resident of the Volgodonsk Region, was also fined by a court. The court recognized that the videos posted by Alexander Marchenko on the social media discredited the Russian Armed Forces. Besides, Madina Tedeeva, a doctor from Maikop, was fined 30,000 roubles. In Mozdok, a court imposed a fine on resident of Chechnya Ruslan Reshidov, finding him guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. According to the case file, on March 22, during a conflict with employees of a company in a public place, Ruslan Reshidov “critically spoke about the battles in Ukraine.”

Blockade of road to Nagorno-Karabakh and continuation of conflict

The Lachin Corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the outside world has been blocked by Azerbaijani activists since December 12, 2022. The activists demand from Russian peacekeepers to provide them with access to the “Gyzylbulag” and “Demirli” mining deposits. The unrecognized republic suffers from a shortage of food products and medicines, the gas supply is turned off regularly, and the republic’s authorities introduced a schedule for the supply of electricity.

On April 4, Russian peacekeepers tried to transport home from Goris 27 citizens of Nagorno-Karabakh, including women, children, and elderly people. However, the activists involved in the blockade action banned the transportation. Four persons became unwell. The Russian peacekeepers provided an ambulance, and the women were taken to a hospital in Stepanakert. On April 5, three of them were discharged from the hospital. However, medical officers report that the women discharged from the hospital still stay in a stressful state.

Case against leaders of Ingush protest

On April 7, the Stavropol Territorial Court continued to consider a complaint filed to challenge the verdict against the leaders of the Ingush protest. The court hearing was attended by both advocates by agreement and defenders appointed by the court. Everyone – the defendants, the advocates by agreement, and the appointed advocates themselves – objected to the participation in the trial of the defenders appointed by the court. The defence filed a motion to return the case to the first instance court to eliminate procedural violations. However, the court dismissed the motion of the defence.

Advocate Magomed Bekov filed a motion to the court to send the data on the notification and submission of the complaints to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) “to verify their possible falsification.” However, the court dismissed the advocate’s motion. After that, defendant Akhmed Barakhoev spoke sharply against the court. “You are a disgrace to Russia … You are breaking the law,” Akhmed Barakhoev stated. Judge removed the defendant from the court hearing until the end of the debate for insulting the court.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the information about at least 17 residents of Karachay-Cherkessia perished in Ukraine has been officially confirmed. In total, at 11:00 p.m. Moscow time on April 9, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 1720 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 954 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 766 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 424 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Stavropol Territory – 133, the Volgograd Region – 311, in the Krasnodar Territory – 125, in North Ossetia – 161, in the Rostov Region – 168, in the Astrakhan Region – 116, in Chechnya – 102, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 85, in Ingushetia – 32, in Adygea – 27, and in Kalmykia – 19.