Series of terrorist attacks shake southern Russia

Gunmen targeted synagogues, Orthodox churches, and police stations in the Republic of Dagestan, in southern Russia.

The Republic of Dagestan in southern Russia was rocked on June 23 by a series of deadly attacks in two major cities, in which the attackers deliberately targeted worshippers at synagogues and Orthodox churches.

Dagestan is one of the Muslim-majority regions in Russia's North Caucasus, stretching along the Caspian Sea coast.

The attacks occurred in the capital Makhachkala and Derbent, a major city 120 km to the south.

Police sealed off a neighborhood following a terrorist attack in Dagestan, Russia, on June 23, 2024.

The attacks in Derbent

Security officials confirmed that during a raid on a Catholic church in the city, gunmen brutally murdered the church's chief priest, Nikolay Kotelnikov.

The Jewish community in Russia also reported on the attack on the synagogue in Derbent. According to them, a police team was present outside the synagogue to ensure security, and several security personnel were inside. The attack occurred approximately 40 minutes before prayer service.

"Police officers and security forces faced attacks from terrorists and were killed in the fight. They then used petrol bombs to set the synagogue on fire," the statement from the Russian Jewish community said.

Attacks in Makhachkala

Violence in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagenstan, appears to have started with a raid on a traffic police station. Among the videos circulating online, one shows a group of three men. Two of them are firing guns while the third appears to be hijacking a police car.

There is currently very little information about the attacks in Makhachkala; however, the Jewish community in Russia has confirmed that a synagogue in Makhachkala was attacked in a manner similar to that in Derbent.

Some media outlets initially reported that gunmen had taken hostages at a Christian church in Makhachkala. However, later reports stated that more than a dozen people were holed up inside the church due to a gunfight nearby. According to Dagestan officials, the group was not in danger.

The "devil's" target of terrorists

Sergey Melikov, head of the Republic of Dagestan within the Russian Federation, said on the morning of June 24 that although the counter-terrorism operation in both Makhachkala and Derbent has ended, authorities will continue their investigation until the identities of all those involved in the terrorist attacks are determined.

Many media outlets, citing police sources, reported that two of the gunmen killed in Makhachkala were identified as the son of a city leader. According to the press, this man has been arrested.

Some Russian officials said the gunmen were members of an international terrorist organization.

Currently, reports on the number of fatalities are inconsistent. Authorities have confirmed at least 15 deaths, including both police officers and civilians.

The regional Interior Ministry said a total of 16 people, including 13 police officers, were taken to the regional main hospital in Makhachkala on June 23.

Representatives of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities in Russia have condemned the attacks on churches and synagogues.

Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, said the perpetrators were seeking to incite religious hatred and called their goal "the devil."

Patriarch Kirill urged: “Everything must be done to prevent the radicalization of religious life and to eliminate all forms of extremism and ethnic hostility.”

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