Latest North Caucasus Weekly Articles
Kremlin Offers Russian Minorities Symbolic Representation With No Real Authority
On March 31, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recreating the Russian government agency for nationalities. The agency will implement state policy in the areas of ethnic and religious relations. In particular, the agency’s activities are aimed at “strengthening the unity of the multinational people... MORE
Pro–Islamic State Militants Carry out Attacks in Dagestan
North Caucasian militants who recently pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his so-called Islamic State (see EDM, January 8) have experienced their first losses. It happened during a counter-terrorist operation conducted on March 31 in the city of Khasavyurt, near the administrative border with... MORE
Pro–Islamic State Militants Carry out Attacks in Dagestan
North Caucasian militants who recently pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his so-called Islamic State (see EDM, January 8) have experienced their first losses. It happened during a counter-terrorist operation conducted on March 31 in the city of Khasavyurt, near the administrative border with... MORE
Chechen Militants Fighting in Middle East Remain Split in Their Loyalties
Many Chechen supporters of the Islamic State have flocked to the Middle East. And as their numbers and fervency have grown, this has placed at a disadvantage other Chechen commanders in the Middle East who have refused to subordinate themselves to the self-styled new caliphate.... MORE
Chechen Militants Fighting in Middle East Remain Split in Their Loyalties
Many Chechen supporters of the Islamic State have flocked to the Middle East. And as their numbers and fervency have grown, this has placed at a disadvantage other Chechen commanders in the Middle East who have refused to subordinate themselves to the self-styled new caliphate.... MORE
North Caucasians Complain About Shrinking Use of Their Native Languages
On March 19–20, a conference on the Russian language was held in the city of Stavropol (Dagminobr.ru, March 23). Like almost all conferences on language issues, it became quite politicized. While Russian officials pushed for Russian’s status as the country’s state language, the North Caucasian... MORE
North Caucasians Complain About Shrinking Use of Their Native Languages
On March 19–20, a conference on the Russian language was held in the city of Stavropol (Dagminobr.ru, March 23). Like almost all conferences on language issues, it became quite politicized. While Russian officials pushed for Russian’s status as the country’s state language, the North Caucasian... MORE
History Widens the Divide Between the North Caucasus and the Rest of Russia
A struggle over history books appears to be unfolding in the North Caucasus. Moscow’s envoy to the region attacked North Caucasus universities for “falsifying history” at a meeting of governors of the North Caucasus Federal District, held in the city of Stavropol on March 20,... MORE
History Widens the Divide Between the North Caucasus and the Rest of Russia
A struggle over history books appears to be unfolding in the North Caucasus. Moscow’s envoy to the region attacked North Caucasus universities for “falsifying history” at a meeting of governors of the North Caucasus Federal District, held in the city of Stavropol on March 20,... MORE
Kadyrov Takes Chechen Special Forces Training to New Heights
Chechen special services operating under the auspices of Ramzan Kadyrov and trained by an ex-major of the Russian security services’ Alpha group, Daniil Martynov, keep expanding their activities to new areas. Martynov helped Kadyrov to rid himself of his special bodyguards from the Russian Federal... MORE