Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of October 7-13, 2024

Fire at a petrol station in Grozny, attack on law enforcers in Ingushetia, threats voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, parliamentary elections in Georgia, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of October 7-13, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Fire at petrol station in Grozny

On October 12, a fuel tank exploded at a petrol station in Grozny, after which a fire started. Four persons were killed by an explosion, and five others were got injuries and burns.

According to the preliminary information, the explosion occurred because of a violation of safety regulations when pumping fuel, the TASS reports with reference to its source. Furthermore, according to the source’s information, liquefied gas was stored at the petrol station.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov wrote in his Telegram channel that all those responsible for the incident will be brought to liability in accordance with the law.

Attack on law enforcers in Ingushetia

On October 11, in Ingushetia, not far from the “Kavkaz” (Caucasus) road, three persons, including a policeman and two of his relatives, were killed in a car shelling. According to the journalists’ information, the victims of the attack were Ilez Aushev (39), Amir Aushev (43), and Beslan Aushev (39). Meanwhile, journalists noted that the target of the attack could be Adam Khamkhoev, an employee of the Centre for Combating Extremism (known as CCE), who was travelling in the car together with the victims, but was not injured.

The car in which the attackers were traveling was found burned in North Ossetia. The attackers themselves fled.

A criminal case has been instituted on the attack on the law enforcers.

Threats voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov

When speaking about the conflict around the “Wildberries” Company, the leader of Chechnya mentioned Senator from Dagestan Suleiman Kerimov and Russian State Duma members Bekkhan Barakhoev and Rizvan Kurbanov. Ramzan Kadyrov called them on to prove their non-involvement in the order for his assassination. The leader of Chechnya also warned them of his readiness to declare blood feud.

No reaction from the Kremlin to the shooting near an office of the “Wildberries” Company has led to a deepening conflict between the elites of the republics in Northern Caucasus, human rights defenders believe. Not only Moscow, but also the law enforcement bodies should respond to the Ramzan Kadyrov’s statements about the planned assassination and possible blood feud, lawyers point out. Blood feud cannot be declared because of business conflicts or for a desire to kill a person, Caucasian experts emphasize.

On October 11, Russian State Duma member from Dagestan Rizvan Kurbanov stated that he did not participate in the preparation of the assassination attempt on Ramzan Kadyrov and that he has no relation to the “Wildberries” Company. The Russian State Duma member has also added that he is undergoing medical treatment abroad.

On October 12, after the Ramzan Kadyrov’s threats to Suleiman Kerimov with blood feud, Dagestani leader Sergey Melikov recalled the senator’s charitable projects and promised that the republic “would always support him in difficult times.” Suleiman Kerimov entered the Derbent’s history as a person who made a significant contribution to its development, reported City Mayor Akhmed Kuliev.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

The Nalchik City Court found local resident Nikolai Buchnev guilty of repeatedly discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

Four residents of the Astrakhan Region have been brought to responsibility for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces in their comments on social networks. The Akhtubinsky District Court fined each of them 30,000 roubles.

The Tikhoretsky District Court recognized pacifist posts in a chat of an animal rights activists’ group as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, Denis Djalaganiya stated. At the same time, investigators refused to institute a criminal case on his beating, in which an author of the denunciation letter participated.

Parliamentary elections in Georgia

As a result of an attack by government supporters, the walls of the “United National Movement” (UNM) Party’s office in Tbilisi were splattered with paint, oppositionist Levan Khabeishvili claimed.

Employees of the Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) received an SMS with an appeal to quit working for the commission and publicly declare that. All messages came from the same phone number, the chair of the CEC reported.

On October 11, the Constitutional Court of Georgia rejected the motion lodged by the country’s President Salome Zurabishvili, in which she requested the court to suspend the law on foreign agents while the lawsuit was being considered in court.

At the same time, Georgian non-governmental organizations called on the Special Investigative Service to made public the information on the progress of the investigation into the dispersal of protests against the law on foreign agents this spring.

The ruling “Georgian Dream” Party has launched impeachment proceedings against Salome Zurabishvili, accusing the President of Georgia of traveling abroad without the consent of the government. On a similar matter, the party tried to impeach Salome Zurabishvili last October, but was unable to gain a sufficient number of votes from MPs because of the opposition’s boycott of the voting at the Georgian parliament.

On October 7, Salome Zurabishvili herself began consultations with the leaders of Georgian opposition parties as part of discussions on the composition of an alternative government, as well as on the issue of the candidacy of the country’s prime minister.

The parliamentary election campaign in Georgia has grown into a referendum on the country’s foreign policy course, and the results will determine whether Georgia will continue European integration or continue rapprochement with Russia. Against the background described above, election campaign participants are behaving passively, analysts note.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By October 13, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 5057 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2429 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2628 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 1064 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 947, in the Krasnodar Territory – 578, in the Rostov Region – 566, in the Stavropol Territory – 500, in the Astrakhan Region – 383, in North Ossetia – 310, in Chechnya – 208, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 174, in Kalmykia – 94, in Ingushetia – 91, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 82, and in Adygea – 60.