Galina Gubina: Situation in Ingushetia looks like prewar developments in Chechnya

An explosive device went off in the office car of Galina Gubina, deputy head of Ingushetia's Sunzha district administration, in the village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya on May 17. The state of Ms Gubina and her driver, Magomed Vakhloev, does not cause doctors' alarm now.

Galina Gubina gave a correspondent of the Information Center of the Society for Russian-Chechen friendship her comments on the incident: "Who tried to kill me? I can't even imagine. I have no enemies. I can't assume that it was a terrorist act committed by the Chechen resistance either. I've never crossed their way. But there is something that frightens me. Developments in Ingushetia today closely resemble that which took place in Chechnya both before the first and the second wars. Explosions, skirmishes, and kidnappings. According to my information, about 25 people have been kidnapped in Ingushetia for the last three months. I'm afraid that the war going in Chechnya can extend to Ingushetia and other republics of the North Caucasus. I think that those interested in both the today's explosion and other violent acts in Ingushetia are forces to which the extension of the armed conflict is advantageous."

Editors note: See also the article "Deputy head of district administration survives assassination attempt in Ingushetia".