In the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, attacks have been reported at a church, two synagogues, and a police traffic stop. Regional authorities report that 12 law enforcement officers have been wounded, though it remains unclear in which city these injuries occurred. The two cities are about 120 km (75 miles) apart.
The Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, citing Dagestan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported on Sunday that two “militants” were also killed following the attacks.
According to Shamil Khadulaev, Chairman of the Dagestan Public Monitoring Commission, a priest was fatally attacked in Derbent’s church. “Father Nikolay, aged 66 and in poor health, was reportedly killed in the church by having his throat slit,” Khadulaev stated.
He further mentioned that a security guard, armed only with a pistol, was shot during the incident. Additional priests have barricaded themselves inside the church, awaiting assistance, Khadulaev added.
Simultaneously, the synagogue in Derbent was engulfed in flames, as depicted in photographs showing intense fires and thick smoke pouring out of multiple windows on at least one floor of the building.
In a series of apparently coordinated incidents concurrent with the events in Derbent, attacks targeted a synagogue and a police traffic post in Makhachkala.
The Israeli foreign ministry described these events as a “combined attack” on the two synagogues. According to their statement, “The synagogue in Derbent was deliberately set ablaze and completely destroyed, resulting in the loss of local guards. Simultaneously, the synagogue in Makhachkala came under gunfire, though specific details are still emerging.”
The ministry also noted, “At the time of the attacks, there were no worshipers present in either synagogue, and fortunately, no casualties from the Jewish community have been reported.”
Sergey Melikov, head of the Dagestan Republic, addressed the situation via Telegram, asserting that “unidentified individuals attempted to disrupt social stability, but were confronted by Dagestan police officers. Initial reports suggest there are casualties among law enforcement personnel.”
Melikov has initiated efforts to identify the attackers, establishing an operational headquarters and launching a counteroperation named “Interception.”
Addressing the public, he emphasized resilience, stating, “The attackers aimed to sow panic and fear among us… But Dagestanis will not succumb to their tactics!”
The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Dagestan has initiated a terrorism investigation into the attacks under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
A statement from the investigative directorate indicated, “All aspects of the incidents are under investigation to determine the individuals responsible for these terrorist acts. Their actions will be comprehensively evaluated and prosecuted under the law.”
