Gunmen attacked synagogues and churches in the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent in Dagestan, Russia, killing police officers and a priest. Six gunmen were killed after the attacks, which were described as a coordinated assault that emphasized Russia’s vulnerability to extremist violence. The motives and identities of the attackers were unclear, and no one had claimed responsibility for the attack. The Investigative Committee of Russia began a terrorism investigation into the incident.
In the city of Derbent, the attackers set fire to the synagogue and killed police officers guarding it, along with a priest named Nikolai Kotelnikov. The Russian Jewish Congress and the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed the deaths. In Makhachkala, attackers opened fire on a traffic police post and targeted the Cathedral of the Assumption and a synagogue. Videos posted by Dagestan’s interior ministry depicted gunmen on the loose, causing chaos in the city.
The attack highlighted the ongoing ethnic and religious tensions in Russia, particularly in the southern Caucasus region where Dagestan is located. Patriarch Kirill I of the Russian Orthodox Church stated that the attack coincided with Orthodox Christians’ observance of Pentecost. He emphasized the importance of maintaining interreligious peace and harmony within society. The Kremlin did not comment on the attack, leading to speculation about the identities of the attackers.
After the Moscow concert hall shooting in March, which was claimed by the Islamic State, Russian officials accused Ukraine and the West of involvement without evidence. Similarly, some Russian politicians suggested that the West was responsible for the recent attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent. Leonid Slutsky, a senior lawmaker, claimed that the attacks aimed to create panic and divide the people of Russia, placing blame on the United States for the violence.
The attacks have further unsettled Russia’s Jewish community, which has faced increased threats since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza. Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced that it was in touch with Jewish community leaders in Dagestan and that there were no reported casualties among them. The incident marked another violent episode in Russia’s battles against extremism and underscored the need for continued efforts to promote tolerance and unity among the diverse population in the country’s southern regions.
