A series of coordinated attacks on police posts, churches, and a synagogue in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan has left 19 people dead and at least 16 others injured. The attacks, which occurred on Sunday evening, targeted the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, and have been followed by three days of mourning being declared in the region.
According to reports, gunmen attacked a church and a synagogue in Derbent, while a church and a police post near a synagogue were targeted in Makhachkala. The attacks occurred on the Orthodox festival of Pentecost, and an Orthodox priest, Father Nikolai Kotelnikov, was among those killed.
While the assailants have not been officially identified, Russian media has reported that two sons of a local official were among the gunmen. However, the head of the Republic of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, has implied that Ukraine was involved in the attack, stating that “the war is coming to our homes” and that Dagestan is now directly involved in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The attacks have been condemned by Russian authorities, with President Vladimir Putin offering his condolences to the families of the victims. The Kremlin has also announced that a counter-terrorism operation has been launched in response to the attacks.
The attacks are the latest in a series of violent incidents to hit Dagestan, which has been plagued by Islamist attacks in recent years. The region’s leader, Sergei Melikov, has vowed to continue hunting for members of “sleeper cells” who prepared the attacks, and has claimed that the attacks were orchestrated from abroad.
However, some Russian officials have warned against blaming the attacks on foreign powers, with Dmitry Rogozin, a leading Russian nationalist, stating that “if every attack is blamed on the machinations of Ukraine and Nato, this pink mist will lead us to big problems”.
