Latest North Caucasus Weekly Articles
Pro-Rebel Website Posts Transcript of Interview with Doku Umarov
The rebel Kavkaz Center website on May 17 posted the transcript of an interview with Doku Umarov, the Chechen rebel leader who is also “emir” of the Caucasus Emirate. Earlier, on May 11, Kavkaz Center denied rumors in the Russian press that Umarov was receiving... MORE
Russian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Meets with Circassian Activists
On May 16, members of the Russian State’s Duma committee on foreign affairs met with a group of Circassian activists from the North Caucasus and the overseas diasporas. The short, one-hour meeting, which was the highest level Russian government meeting with Circassian activists to date,... MORE
Kremlin Counter-Insurgency Efforts Deepen Local Animosity in Dagestan
On May 9, the leader of the North Caucasian rebels, Doku Umarov, appointed Ibragimkhalil Daudov (aka Emir Salikh) as the new head of the Dagestani insurgency -- or the “Dagestani front,” in Umarov’s words. Daudov replaces Israpil Velidzhanov (aka Emir Khasan), who was killed in... MORE
Elimination of Jamaat Leaders Has Little Impact on Situation in the North Caucasus
Russia’s ongoing intense military campaign in the North Caucasus does not seem to be confined to a single village, district or even republic. Given that the incessant special operations being conducted across the entire perimeter of the North Caucasus republics involve numerous units of the... MORE
Security Operations Conducted in Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria and Chechnya
Unidentified gunmen fired on a unit of Russian interior ministry internal troops yesterday evening (May 12) as they were conducting a reconnaissance operation in a wooded area of Dagestan’s Tsumadinsky district. An internal troops major was fatally wounded in the attack. A law-enforcement source was... MORE
Kadyrov Presses Ahead with Libel Suit Against the Head of the Memorial Human Rights Center
The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, stated on April 28 that the renowned human rights activist Natalya Estemirova had not helped to protect people. “I defend human rights here in the republic,” he said, adding “She did not help us.” Kadyrov spoke via a TV... MORE
Kadyrov Exploits Ties with Moscow to Build Islamic State
On Аpril 28, 2011, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2011 Annual Report. A full chapter concerns the Chechen Republic—the only Russian region to which the report pays special attention.The report emphasizes that since Ramzan Kadyrov has been appointed to head... MORE
Inconsistencies Inhibit Moscow’s Attempts to Boost the North Caucasus Republics’ Economies
On May 4, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin presided over a government meeting on the socio-economic development of the North Caucasus. Putin announced the decision to allocate nearly $2 billion for an investment protection fund for this risk-prone territory. In addition the government corporation for... MORE
Moscow Kills Rebel Leaders in Kabardino-Balkaria, but was it a Mortal Blow?
April was an extremely successful month for the Russian security forces in the North Caucasus, following the liquidation of Israpil Validzhanov, the leader of the Dagestani jamaat on April 18, and of Emir Mukhannad, a well-known Arab volunteer in the ranks of the Chechen armed... MORE
Death of Insurgent Leaders in Kabardino-Balkaria Unlikely to Halt Attacks
On April 29, the Russian security services wiped out the leadership of the insurgency in Kabardino-Balkaria in a single stroke. Ten rebels, including rebel leader Asker Dzhappuev (aka Abdullah), deputy leader Kazbek Tashuev (aka Abdul Dzhabbar) and Ratmir Shameyev (aka Zakaria) were killed in a... MORE