24 June 2024, 21:50
Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of June 17-June 23, 2024
Shooting in Dagestan, drones in the Caucasus, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, verdict against seven Ingush activists, and 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 June 17-June 23, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.
Shooting in Dagestan
On June 23, a synagogue and a church were attacked in Derbent, and a road-and-patrol police service checkpoint was shelled in Makhachkala. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) announced the introduction of the counter-terrorist operation (CTO) legal regime in Dagestan.
During the CTO in the village of Sergokala, a car with policemen came under the fire. The Muftiate of Dagestan reported that as a result of the attacks in Derbent and Makhachkala, nine persons were killed and 25 others were wounded, including policemen, civilians, and priests.
In Derbent, Lieutenant Colonel Mavludin Khidirnabiev, the chief of the police department of the city of Dagestanskiye Ogni, got a severe wound. Doctors were unable to save his life.
Dagestani leader Sergei Melikov has called the armed incidents in Derbent and Makhachkala an attempt to destabilize the social situation in Dagestan. The republic’s leader has called on residents of Dagestan not to panic.
Drones in the Caucasus
According to the information released by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD), air defence forces shot down a drone over the Sea of Azov, launched from the direction of Ukraine on the night of June 22. On June 18, as a result of a drone attack in the city of Azov in the Rostov Region, tanks with petroleum products caught fire. Fire fighters were extinguishing it during three days. On the same day, in Krasnodar, a boiler plant worker was killed by fragments of a drone falling down.
In Krasnodar, City Mayor Yevgeniy Naumov reported about the citizens injured by fragments of a drone falling down. According to the City Mayer’s report, the downed drone fell on the territory of a boiler plant not far from a bus terminal. The Kuban operational headquarters reported four victims.
On the night of June 20, the air defence forces destroyed six drones launched from the direction of Ukraine over the territory of Adygea, three drones – over the Krasnodar Territory, and another drone – over the Rostov Region, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported. “A private house was completely destroyed. Unfortunately, a resident of the Rostov Region was killed,” reported Kuban Governor Veniamin Kondratiev in his Telegram channel. On June 17, the city of Tikhoretsk in the Krasnodar Territory was attacked by a drone.
Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia
On June 21, in the Lazarevskoye District of Sochi, the court of appeal pronounced a decision concerning an appeal filed by Sochi doctor and activist Vladimir Atamanchuk, who on April 12 was found guilty of defamation and sentenced to 200 hours of compulsory labour. The verdict has been upheld. Vladimir Atamanchuk claimed that law enforcers promised to institute a criminal case against him for defamation based on a complaint from two residents with whom he participated in elections in the Krasnodar Territory. The activist noted that the law enforcement bodies offered him to admit his guilt in defamation in exchange for closing the case on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.
On June 18, a court hearing was held on a claim filed by the authorities of Slavyansk-on-Kuban with a request to demolish the Holy Intercession-Tikhon Church. Archbishop of the Russia’s Orthodox Church Viktor (Pivovarov), accused in a criminal case on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, serves in the Holy Intercession-Tikhon Church. The Slavyansk-on-Kuban City Court dismissed the claim filed by the city authorities.
Verdict against seven Ingush activists
The Court of Cassation in Pyatigorsk upheld the verdict against the Ingush activists. About 20 people came to support them at the Supreme Court (SC) of Ingushetia, from which advocates spoke, stated a member of the Ingush Council of Teips (family clans).
In December 2021, the court sentenced Akhmed Barakhoev, Musa Malsagov, and Malsag Uzhakhov to nine years, Ismail Nalgiev, Bagaudin Khautiev, and Barakh Chemurziev – to eight years, and Zarifa Sautieva – to seven and a half years of imprisonment. All of the activists have been accused of creating an extremist community and participating in it.
Fatima Urusova, an advocate of Akhmed Barakhoev, has reported that the court’s decision will be challenged at the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia.
Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine
By June 23, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 4273 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2103 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2170 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).
In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 931 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 786, in the Rostov Region – 467, in the Krasnodar Territory – 449, in the Stavropol Territory – 419, in the Astrakhan Region – 325, in North Ossetia – 291, in Chechnya – 191, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 146, in Kalmykia – 86, in Ingushetia – 64, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 61, and in Adygea – 57.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 24, 2024 at 08:54 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
