Briefs

Presidential Envoy Visits North Ossetia and Ingushetia

Vladimir Ustinov, the new presidential envoy to the Southern Federal District who visited Chechnya in May, made another trip to the North Caucasus last week, this time visiting North Ossetia and Ingushetia. Kommersant reported on July 19 that Ustinov did not meet with members of the Voice of Beslan or the Mothers of Beslan while in North Ossetia despite the fact that both groups had made repeated requests to meet with Ustinov to discuss the investigation into the September 2004 Beslan school siege. According to the newspaper, while in Ingushetia, Ustinov, accompanied by Ingushetia’s president, Murat Zyazikov, visited a border guard headquarters in the Dzheirakh gorge near the republic’s border with Georgia.

Large Bomb Discovered in Dagestan’s Capital

A large bomb was discovered in Makhachkala on July 21 not far from the offices of the Dagestani branch of Russia’s Federal Treasury, Kavkazky Uzel reported. The bomb, described as a “powerful homemade explosive device,” was detonated in a controlled explosion. According to the website, experts said the bomb could have been planted either by enemies of the head of the Dagestani branch of Russia’s Federal Treasury, Saidgusein Magomedov, or by “extremists,” given that a police post was located nearby.

Kosovo Flag Reportedly Raised During Soccer Match in Grozny

Gazeta.ru reported on July 20 that Kosovo’s national flag was raised in Grozny’s Sultan Bilimkhanov Stadium during a championship match between the Terek Grozny and Rubin Kazan soccer teams. According to the website, the flag appeared alongside the flags of the countries that some of the Terek Grozny players come from. Russia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, and Gazeta.ru reported that the Russian Football Unit promised to investigate the incident. On July 21, Kavkazky Uzel quoted Chechnya’s sports minister, Khaidar Alkhanov, as categorically denying that such an incident had taken place.