Latest Articles about North Caucasus
Kadyrov at Loggerheads With Chechen Diaspora in Europe
Ramzan Kadyrov has repeatedly voiced discontent with the actions of Chechens who reside in Europe. During the first years of his rule in Chechnya, he managed to convince many of the former leaders of Ichkeria to switch sides and move back to Grozny. This guaranteed... MORE
Chechens Fighting in Syria Increasingly Joining Forces With Islamic State
Chechen militants in Syria have been going through organizational changes since last summer. The position of the Chechen militants in the Middle East was especially damaged by a conflict within the Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar group and the difficult situation inside the Junud al-Sham group. Those... MORE
Circassian Repatriates From Turkey Call for Resumed Russian-Turkish Cooperation
With Russian-Turkish tensions spiraling downward, many Circassian immigrants of Turkish origin in the North Caucasus have renounced their Turkish citizenship in favor of Russian citizenship. Circassian immigrants from Turkey in Kabardino-Balkaria signed a statement calling on the Turkish authorities to resume cooperation with Russia. Reciting... MORE
Moscow’s Desire to Micro-Manage the North Caucasus Causing Multiple Inefficiencies
On February 19, the governor of North Ossetia–Alania, Tamerlan Aguzarov, suddenly died at a Moscow hospital from complications of pneumonia. The 52-year-old governor was in office for a little more than eight months and, according to some reports, was fighting cancer. Aguzarov was also known... MORE
Opposition Report on Ramzan Kadyrov Breaks No New Ground
The Russian opposition promised to deliver a groundbreaking report on Chechnya by Ilya Yashin, the deputy chairman of the Svoboda-Parnas party, long before February 23. On February 7, Yashin surprised the Chechen authorities after he asserted that he had visited the republic’s capital and published... MORE
Unresolved Historical Territorial Disputes Add to North Caucasus Tensions
Dagestan’s governor, Ramazan Abdulatipov, held a surprise meeting with Chechen activists who support restoring the Aukhov district in the republic. The issue dates back to 1944, when the Soviet government ordered the mass deportation of all Chechens to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In 1957, after Joseph... MORE
Karachaevo-Cherkessian Activists Demand Direct Election of Governor
Rashid Temrezov’s first term as governor of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, ends on March 1. One week before the expiration of Temrezov’s term, it is still unclear who will be the republic’s next head. The Kavkaz Today website even prematurely announced that Temrezov would stay in power, but... MORE
Handover of Oil Assets to Chechen Authorities: Start of Devolution of Power in Russia?
Chechnya is gearing up to establish control over its oil-extracting business. The procedure for handing over the Rosneft affiliate Chechenneftekhimprom to the Chechen authorities is expected to be completed in March. For the first time in many years, Grozny is close to acquiring full control... MORE
Militants Loyal to Islamic State Become More Active in North Caucasus
Two years ago, the then-leader of the Caucasus Emirate (CE), Ali Abu Muhammad (Aliashab Kebekov), surprised many observers when he condemned suicide bomber terrorist attacks. Moreover, he stated that such attacks were in breach of the principles of Islam (Kavkazsky Uzel, July 1, 2014). Many... MORE
Leaders of Chechnya and Ingushetia Unite Against Salafists
Ingushetia is presently engulfed in a dispute over accusations made by the Chechen government and religious authorities against the activities of Salafist clerics in the republic—Khamzat Chumakov and Isa Tsechoev. Chechnya’s leadership was once considered totally hostile toward Ingushetia as a whole, but the situation... MORE