Latest North Caucasus Weekly Articles
North Caucasus Ski Resorts Survive Government Change in Moscow
On June 4, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev affirmed the new makeup of the government commission for the socio-economic development of the North Caucasus. The commission is comprised of 26 top officials and headed by Medvedev himself. Moscow’s envoy to the North Caucasus, Aleksandr Khloponin, and... MORE
Dagestan Sees a Spike in Violence as the Government Promises Political Reforms
At the end of May and the beginning of June, a series of militant attacks shook Dagestan. On May 31, the former police chief of Dagestan’s Untsukul district, Magomed Abdulmalikov, was killed in Buinaksk. Abdulmalikov headed the Untsukul district police until 2006. The district is... MORE
Ingushetia Heads Toward Rebellion
The course of events in the republic of Ingushetia, the smallest and youngest republic of the Russian Federation, has changed dramatically over the past two years. In particular, changes were seen in the confrontation between the armed opposition, the Sharia jamaat and the pro-Moscow authorities,... MORE
Russia Errs Again in Trying to Resolve the North Caucasus Insurgency Problem
The last few days in May have been tense in Chechnya, including inside the pro-Moscow government of Chechnya, with Ramzan Kadyrov sacking the republican government. Odes Baisultanov, Kadyrov’s cousin, had presided over the government since 2007 (https://ria.ru/politics/20120521/654518251.html). The former minister of agriculture, Abubakar Edelgeriev, replaced... MORE
Circassian Activists Show Appreciation for Georgia’s Openness to the North Caucasus
On May 21, over 50 people from Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia and Adygea chose to commemorate the anniversary of the Russian-Circassian war in the 19th century in Georgia. “In practice the issue of the Russian-Caucasian war’s results should be discussed in Russia, by Russian scholars,” the head... MORE
Police Operation Sheds Light on Moscow’s Tactics in the North Caucasus
On May 24, an estimated 600 protesters gathered in Makhachkala to demand an investigation into the March 18 murder of four brothers, including Kizlyar city council member Magomed Gamzatov, and their nephew, who were killed after they had a dispute with Kizlyar district head Andrei... MORE
Umarov Calls on All Russia’s Muslims to Join Jihad
It appears the Caucasus Emirate’s representatives finally realized that it is no longer enough to talk about “worldwide jihad” and position the war in the Caucasus as part of it. Caucasus Emirate websites normally provide information about jihadist achievements around the world – in countries... MORE
Videotaped Chechen Rebels’ Meeting Indicates Their Numbers Are Underestimated
Despite the constant upbeat reports from Russian ministries and agencies concerning the “neutralization” of 316 militants in the North Caucasus since the start of 2012, the number of militants in the region for some reason does not appear to be decreasing. “Neutralization,” as a rule,... MORE
Circassian Protest Rallies Intensify with the Approach of the 2014 Sochi Olympics
On May 20-21, Circassian activists around the world commemorated the 148th anniversary of the end of the Russian-Circassian war in 1864. As the Winter Olympics in the former Circassian territory of Sochi approach, the Circassians’ historic memory and its political reverberations have also intensified. Even... MORE
Moscow’s Complicated System of Governance in the North Caucasus Set to Become Even More Complex
On May 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly met Moscow’s envoy to the North Caucasus, Alexander Khloponin at the president’s official residence in Novoogaryovo near Moscow. The meeting was part of the process of forming the new government after Putin was elected President of Russia... MORE