MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Monday dismissed fears Russia’s historically restive North Caucasus region faces a wave of violence following a series of coordinated weekend attacks on synagogues, churches and a police checkpoint killed at least 20 persons in the southern Dagestan region.
The attacks occurred in the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent on Sunday. The attacks underscored renewed security concerns despite Kremlin assurances dismissing fears of a widespread resurgence of violence in the region.
Russia’s federal Investigative Committee confirmed that an “anti-terrorist operation” had been conducted, resulting in the elimination of five assailants involved in the attacks. Authorities stated that investigations were ongoing to identify any additional perpetrators.
According to Dagestan’s regional health ministry, at least 20 persons were killed and 26 others injured in the attacks. Among the fatalities, fifteen were law enforcement officers.
“In the course of suppressing the criminal actions, five people involved in committing the crime were liquidated,” the Investigative Committee stated in a report.
The assailants targeted multiple sites including two Orthodox churches, two synagogues, and a police checkpoint, sparking condemnation and alarm across the region.
The Russian Orthodox Church reported the death of Archpriest Nikolai Kotelnikov, who was killed during the attack on a church in Derbent.
Dagestan Governor Sergei Melikov described the attacks as an attempt to destabilize the region, asserting, “We know who is behind these terrorist attacks and what objective they are pursuing,” although he did not specify further details.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to locate “sleeper cells” and stated that the perpetrators were from Dagestan, according to Russian state news agencies.
The violence in Dagestan harks back to the turbulent period of the 1990s and 2000s when separatist and militant groups waged insurgent campaigns against Russian authorities in the mountainous North Caucasus region.
Despite the recent attacks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed fears of a resurgence in violence, stating, “Now there is a different Russia. Society is consolidated and such terrorist manifestations are not supported by society in Russia or in Dagestan.”
Russian authorities have launched criminal investigations into the attacks under charges of “acts of terror,” while efforts continue to apprehend any remaining suspects linked to the violence.
President Vladimir Putin, who has previously emphasized security in the region as a cornerstone of his leadership, has faced previous insurgent violence in Chechnya and has been vocal about combating terrorism within Russia’s borders.
The attacks in Dagestan come amidst ongoing tensions in the North Caucasus and broader geopolitical concerns, including Russia’s involvement in Ukraine and its stance on international terrorism.
In response to the attacks, Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, warned of attempts to undermine “inter-religious peace” in Russia, without specifying the perpetrators.
