In a coordinated assault on Sunday, gunmen attacked synagogues and churches in two southern Russian cities, Makhachkala and Derbent, resulting in the deaths of several police officers and a priest.
This violence, occurring in the predominantly Muslim Dagestan region along the Caspian Sea, highlighted Russia’s vulnerability to extremist actions.
Authorities reported that six of the attackers were killed during shootouts.
Using rifles and Molotov cocktails, they targeted a synagogue and a church in both cities, according to officials and religious groups.
Dagestan’s governor, Sergei Melikov, called the attack a strike “on our fraternity, on our multiethnic unity.”
While the exact number of casualties remains unclear, Melikov mentioned that “more than 15 police officers fell victim to today’s terrorist attack,” though he did not clarify how many were killed versus wounded.
The identities and motives of the attackers remain unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, akin to the F.B.I., has initiated a terrorism investigation.
This attack adds to a series of extremist violence in Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine.
Previously, in March, four gunmen killed 145 people at a Moscow concert hall, an attack claimed by the Islamic State. Additionally, in October 2023, an antisemitic mob stormed a plane arriving in Dagestan from Tel Aviv.
In Derbent, the attackers killed the police officers guarding a synagogue before setting it ablaze, according to the Russian Jewish Congress.
A priest, Nikolai Kotelnikov, was also killed, marking the only confirmed civilian death. Melikov noted that “several” civilians were killed but did not provide specifics.
Simultaneously, gunmen in Makhachkala attacked a traffic police post, the Cathedral of the Assumption, and a synagogue, according to state media and the Russian Jewish Congress.
Videos from Dagestan’s interior ministry depicted gunmen in Makhachkala opening fire and commandeering vehicles.
Roads out of the city were blocked, and it remained uncertain if any attackers were still at large, though Melikov stated the “active phase” of the police response had concluded.
The events underscored ongoing ethnic and religious tensions in Russia, particularly in the southern Caucasus region, which includes Dagestan.
Patriarch Kirill I of the Russian Orthodox Church noted the significance of the attack occurring on Pentecost, stating that it was “no coincidence.”
“We see that the enemy is not giving up on attempts to destroy interreligious peace and harmony within our society,” Kirill said.
However, the identity of the “enemy” was not specified. The Kremlin remained silent, and authorities provided little information about the attackers. Some state media suggested the gunmen could be related to a local official.
Following the March attack in Moscow, Russian officials blamed Ukraine and the West, despite the Islamic State’s claim.
On Sunday, some politicians, including senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, accused the West of trying to incite panic and division in Russia, attributing the bloodshed to the United States.
The attacks have also heightened concerns within Russia’s Jewish community, which has faced increased threats since the war in Gaza began.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated it was in touch with Jewish leaders in Dagestan, confirming no known casualties among them.
