CTO regime in Dagestan again
A counter-terrorism operation was introduced in the Tabasaransky, Hivskom and Suleiman Stalsky districts on August 18th at 8:00 pm. A terrorist group was searched for there. In the Untsukul area the CTO regime was cancelled the same day at 18:00. Security officials informed about the completion of all operational and combat activities.
Argumenty.ru 8/19/15: ‘‘As it was described in the operational headquarters, special forces were looking for participants in the so-called southern terrorist group and their accomplices. It is reported that this criminal gang committed a lot of terrorist attacks, including the bombing of the police department.
CTO regimes have repeatedly been introduced in recent months in Dagestan. The increased activity of the militants in the North Caucasus is associated with the increasing influence in the region of the terrorist group Islamic State, banned in Russia.
Russkaya Planeta, 08/19/15, "Security officers have observed a group, not less than ten people, on the border between the Tabasaranskiy and Khivsky Districts."
Gang in North Ossetia
A CTO regime was introduced in the village of Chermen in the Prigorodny district of North Ossetia on August 20th. According to the received information, an armed bandit group entered the village.
Narodniye Novosti, 08/20/15: During a special operation law enforcers confiscated 4 units of smoothbore gun, one unit of a firearm of civil purpose with a rifled barrel, handgun PSM, an RPG-26 grenade launcher, hand grenades, means of undermining and about 1,2 thousand cartridges of various calibers. According to the FSB, now the issue of opening criminal cases according to Article 223 of the Russian Criminal Code - 'Illegal manufacture of weapons' is being considered.
The CTO regime was introduced on Thursday at 6.00 am in connection with information about the presence of members of armed groups and their supporters in Chermen. Chermen and the surrounding area were included in the zone of the counterterrorist operation.’’
Mir 24, 08/20/15: "This isn’t the first time that a CTO regime was introduced in the Prigorodny district. In April this year, law enforcers searched for militants in the village of Novy near the administrative border with the republic of Ingushetia. Then the security forces found and seized illegally stored weapons and explosives."
Said Amirov calls himself an honest man
The ex-mayor of Makhachkala didn’t admit his guilt in his last statement in court. State prosecutors demanded life imprisonment for Said Amirov, arguing that it had been proved that he was the organizer of the murder of an ICR investigator and the shelling of the shopping and entertainment complex in Kaspiysk in 2011.
Newstracker.ru, 20.08.15: ‘‘The lawyers for the ex-head of Makhachkala, Said Amirov, have every reason to file a complaint in case of a sentence, defense lawyer Valentine Horeva says. According to her, the signs of the killer of investigator of the ICR Arsene Hajibeyov described by the witness, don’t correspond to the accused.
Interfax, 08/20/15: ‘‘Amirov, his nephew, former deputy mayor of Kaspiysk Dzhaparov, the three Ahmadov brothers, Murad Aliev, Magomed Kadiev and Zubair Mutaev are in the dock.’’
In 2014 the North Caucasian district military court in Rostov-on-Don passed sentence on another criminal case against Amirov and Dzhaparov.
According to materials of the criminal case, they were preparing an attempt on the life of the head of the office of the Pension Fund of Dagestan, wrestler Sagid Murtazalieva. According to investigators, a plane carrying Murtazaliyev was to be brought down using man-portable air defense systems.
Amirov was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism and organizing the illegal purchase, transportation and storage of weapons. He was deprived of state awards and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in a penal colony. Dzhaparov was sentenced to eight years and six months of imprisonment in a penal colony."
Murder of religious leader in Stavropol Territory
On the night of August 20th unidentified persons shot dead Irgakly Zamirbek Makhmutov, deputy imam of a village in Stavropol Territory. A criminal case was initiated according to articles of the Criminal Code on 'murder' and 'illegal arms trafficking'.
IslamNews, 20.08.15: ‘‘Criminals attacked a cleric as he was on his way to the mosque for morning prayers ... The Makhmutovs consider the version of his professional activity as the primary motive.
Mufti of Stavropol Territory Muhammad Rakhimov made a stand for the murdered imam, saying that he "couldn’t have been involved in any radical movements.’’
Eurasia Daily, 20.08.15: ‘‘Zamirbek Makhmutov celebrated his 32nd birthday in 2015. He is a Nogay by nationality, a native of the village of Irgakly. He graduated from the Karachayevo-Cherkess Islamic Institute, the Russian Islamic University in Kazan, served in mosques, taught Islamic Sciences. He had four children. Currently, his wife is expecting their fifth child."
New stadium in Chechnya
The grand opening of a sports complex took place in Tsentaroy on August 18th. Tribune is designed for 800 seats. The stadium was named after Saydhasana Idrisov – Akhmad Kadyrov’s companion-in-arms.
Russkaya Planeta, 8/17/15: "The construction of the stadium with a synthetic pitch began in the autumn of last year. The sports arena was built with the help of the Akhmad Kadyrov Fund.
According to the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, who attended the opening ceremony of the stadium, Saydhasan Idrisov was one of those who fought for peace and prosperity in Chechnya in the most difficult times.
"Opening this beautiful stadium, we pay tribute and respect to Saydhasanu, a worthy son of the Chechen people. He will live forever in our hearts," the head of the Chechen Republic said.
Saydhasan Idrisov worked in Akhmat Kadyrov’s security service. He was killed in 2002 in the performance of his duties."
The official website of the Head and the Government of the Chechen Republic, 08/15/21: "The head of the Chechen Republic said that Akhmad Kadyrov gave special importance to the development of sports. A football tournament for the Cup of the village of Tsentaroy was attended by 5 teams, in order to celebrate the opening of the stadium after the official ceremony.’’
Filmmakers to travel to Pankisi Gorge
Shooting a feature film about two Chechen women living in the Pankisi Gorge has been scheduled for September. The film will be called ‘Until My Father Returns.’
Georgian film-makers are to narrate about the social and cultural aspects of the Chechen-Kists.
Caucasus Online, 17.08.15: ‘‘The film is directed by Mariam Gulbiani, winner of ‘Film School’ project by the Georgian Film Center.
As part of the ‘Film School’ of youth of border villages of Georgia, it was given the opportunity to learn about the activities of modern national cinema, as well as write your own screenplay.
As was noted in the cinema center, Mariam Gulbiani has been one of the most active film-missionaries of the Pankisi Gorge. She joined the project ‘Film School’ with great pleasure and she cares about the education of the local population in the field of films."
Start of Chechen filmmaking
‘The Call of the Heart’ is the name of the first 12-episode feature film by the studio Chechenfilm. It has recently been screeened in Grozny. In the very near future the studio is to make a full-length feature film with famous Russian actors.
Arguments and Facts-Stavropol 8/20/15: "The studio is to make a feature film with the participation of famous Russian actors, including Sergey Bezrukov. It is interesting what Chechenfilm has created from scratch in the last five years."
REGNUM, 20.08.15: ‘‘Private investors supported the project on the establishment of the film studio Chechenfilm. It cost them 19 million rubles. A three-storey building, located on a territory of two hectares near the Staropromyslovskiy Highway in Grozny, all the necessary cinematographic equipment was bought. It is planned to construct a modern film studio and hotel for crews from other studios in the near future.
Experienced specialists in the field of cinematography have worked in Grozny for many years at various studios in Russia and the former Soviet Union. According to the director of the film company, Beslan Terekbaeva, they are enthusiasts of this project, who are in the republic for its creative development as well as training cinematography skills of future Chechen directors, camera operators, editors and sound engineers."
Polish climbers found dead
On Tuesday August 18th, during a helicopter overflight the bodies of two Polish climbers were found on Mount Elbrus during a helicopter overflight. The bodies were at an altitude of 5400 meters. The rescue squad took them to the village of Terskol in order to transfer them to the law enforcement authorities. The fate of one climber remains unknown. The search for him is continuing. The Polish climbers lost communication the other day.
Interfax-Russia, 08/19/15: ‘‘A team group of six Polish citizens, registered with the Elbrus alpine search and rescue group, decided on Sunday to divide into two groups of three people. Three climbers managed to descend. The search for the other three people, who went off route and lost communication, started on the Monday morning. Rescuers found a backpack with the passport of one of the missing."
Arguments and Facts-Stavropol 8/19/15: "According to the head of the press service of the North Caucasian Regional Emergency Center, Kantemir Davydov, work is being carried out at the limits of the equipment. The helicopter pilots have the highest skills."
Americans illegally worked in KCR
US citizens were made answerable for administrative responsibility for illegal employment. They arrived on tourist visas in Karachay-Cherkessia at the invitation of the followers of the Evangelical Christian Missionary Union, but the English language was taught in the children's camp. Each of them was fined 2500 rubles.
Gorodskoy Telegraf. Mineralnye Vody, 8/17/15: ‘‘Violations were recorded in Karachayevsk. It turned out that 12 Americans arrived in Russia on tourist visas as part of the mission of the organization. They taught English to children in the camp, organized by the members of the organization. At the same time migrant workers didn’t have a license for educational activity and weren’t aware of their visas' validity, which had expired a long time ago. An instance of violation was identified by the FSB."
