Latest North Caucasus Weekly Articles
Chechens “Spontaneously” Rally for a Third Putin Term
Demonstrations in support of a third term for President Vladimir Putin were held across Russia, including Chechnya, on October 24. As Kommersant noted on October 25, while both the Kremlin and the pro-Kremlin United Russia party claimed the demonstrations were spontaneous actions “from below,” members... MORE
Amnesty International Expresses Concern about Ingushetia
On the eve of the European Union-Russia summit set to take place in Portugal on October 26, Amnesty International released a statement calling on the Russian government and the local authorities in Ingushetia not to repeat the mistakes made in Chechnya. On October 24, the... MORE
Putin on North Caucasus: Situation Improved but “Far From Good”
President Vladimir Putin said on October 18 during his annual question-and-answer session on state television that a rise in violence in Ingushetia is alarming but cannot be compared to the 1999 rebel insurgency that triggered the invasion of Chechnya, Reuters reported. “The situation is far... MORE
Political and Militant Leadership Changes in Dagestan
The many changes that have occurred in Dagestan during the past month can only astonish those following the developments in the republic. Most important is the recent change in the leadership of the Dagestan jamaat. The death of Rappani Khalilov, one of the jamaat’s leaders... MORE
Russian Generals: No Troops Withdrawal from Chechnya
On October 3, Yakov Nedobitko, the commander of the Russian Joint Military Group in Chechnya, told the newspaper Nezavisimya gazeta that it was too early to talk about disbanding the Joint Military Group in the republic. The general added that during this fall and winter,... MORE
Briefs
- Nine People Charged in Politkovskaya Murder Case Reuters reported on October 17 that prosecutors have charged nine people, including a Russian security service lieutenant-colonel, with involvement in the October 2006 murder of Anna Politkovskaya, the award-winning journalist and Kremlin critic. Vyacheslav Smirnov, an official... MORE
FSB Major Kidnapped in Kabardino-Balkaria
A major with the Kabardino-Balkaria branch of the Federal Security Service (FSB) was kidnapped in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, Nalchik, on October 10, RIA Novosti reported on October 15. Citing sources in Kabardino-Balkaria’s law-enforcement bodies, the news agency reported that the 31-year-old officer was kidnapped... MORE
Zyazikov’s Uncle Freed
Uruskhan Zyazikov, the uncle of Ingushetia’s President, Murat Zyazikov, was released from captivity more than six months after he was kidnapped, Russian news agencies reported on October 11. Uruskhan Zyazikov was kidnapped by gunmen on March 23 in the village of Barsuki outside of Nazran... MORE
Ethnic Russians Murdered in Karabulak
Two ethnic Russians in Ingushetia were killed in the town of Karabulak on October 14. Kavkazky Uzel reported that unidentified gunmen burst into a home and shot four people, killing a man and his pregnant daughter-in-law on the spot and seriously wounding a woman and... MORE
Putin’s Latest Reshuffling
As is typical for Russia, long expected news is being presented to the public as something sensational and surprising. Vladimir Putin, having sworn that no one would be able to convince him to remain in power, has finally declared that he will in fact remain... MORE