Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of August 12-18, 2024

Alaudinov admits Chechen fighters being captured by Ukraine, elections in the southern regions of the Russian Federation, drone attacks, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, Georgian journalists stand against the law on foreign agents, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of August 12-18, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Alaudinov admits Chechen fighters being captured by Ukraine

Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the “Akhmat” special forces, reported that five fighters from the “Akhmat-Chechnya” unit were captured. “There is nothing more shameful for a Chechen than being captured,” Apti Alaudinov emphasized. The commander has also noted that the captured fighters are not members of the “Akhmat” special forces. “Not a single fighter from the ‘Akhmat’ special forces was ever captured,” Apti Alaudinov stated.

The combined “Akhmat” battalion, commanded by Apti Alaudinov, is staffed with fighters from different regions, including volunteers, experts note. The “Akhmat-Chechnya” unit, which captured fighters were reported by Apti Alaudinov, is staffed by Chechens who are not ready to participate in battles, as they were engaged in maintaining street order, a Caucasian expert has emphasized.

The Russian authorities will try to exchange the fighters of the “Akhmat-Chechnya” unit, experts suggest. After returning from captivity, the fighters will have to voice their apologies and go to the front lines again, human rights defenders believe.

Elections in southern regions of Russian Federation

On August 15, Vladimir Putin submitted to the People’s Assembly of Ingushetia three candidates for the post of the leader of the republic. The candidates are current head of Ingushetia Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, Alikhan Arapkhanov, a member of the republic’s parliament, a member of the “Spravedlivaya Rossiya – Patrioty – Za Pravdu” (Fair Russia – Patriots – For Truth) Party, and Islam Gadiev, the chair of the Ingush parliamentary committee on state building and legislation, who is a member of the LDPR (Liberal Democratic Party of Russia).

Activist Magomed Khazbiev has put forward his candidacy for the election of the head of Ingushetia. On July 14, the Ingush branch of the “Grazhdanskaya Initsiativa” (Civil Initiative) Party announced the nomination of his candidacy. However, in August, a party spokesperson reported that Magomed Khazbiev was going to take part in the election of the head of Ingushetia as an independent candidate.

Drone attacks

On August 18, a drone launched from the direction of Ukraine was shot down in the Rostov Region. As a result of its fragments falling on the territory of warehouses in Proletarsk, fuel caught fire.

By the evening, Vasily Golubev, Governor of the Rostov Region, reported that firefighters are still busy with extinguishing the fire in Proletarsk. Overnight, the Russian air defence forces shot down two drones that were attempting to attack the territory of the Rostov Region, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported in its Telegram channel.

Nine drones launched from the direction of Ukraine were destroyed over the territory of the Volgograd Region, the Russian MoD reported in its Telegram channel on August 14. One drone was shot down in the Rostov Region. Furthermore, 37 drones and four tactical missiles were destroyed in the Kursk Region, 37 drones were destroyed in the Voronezh Region, 17 – in the Belgorod Region, 11 – in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, three – in the Bryansk Region, and two – in the Oryol Region.

The Rostov Region Governor announced that the Russian air defence forces neutralized four drones that were attempting to attack the Rostov Region on the night of August 12.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

The Soviet District Court of Astrakhan found an Astrakhan resident guilty under the article “Discrediting the Armed Forces of Russia” and fined him 30,000 roubles.

Law enforcers drew up a report on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces against Maria Borzova, a resident of the Krasnodar Territory, who, during a live broadcast on the Internet, criticized the militaries participating in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.

Maria Borzova claimed that her words were taken out of the context. The woman explained that she had a conflict with a former SMO participant, who led an immoral lifestyle. During her live broadcast on the Internet, Maria Borzova criticized other military personnel who also led an immoral lifestyle. The blogger claims that the persons unknown to her cut out a piece of her video and, under the guise of her criticizing all participants of the SMO, posted it on the Internet.

The Aksai District Court of the Rostov Region fined local resident Boris Avsetsin for discrediting the Russian Army. The court’s website reports that when in a taxi, Boris Avsetsin spoke harshly about the events in Ukraine, insulted the Russian Armed Forces and everyone who supports them. Three persons confirmed that they heard the above statements voiced by Boris Avsetsin. In court, the defendant admitted his guilt and asked to impose a minimum fine on him, since he had no job. The court considered the admission of guilt a mitigating circumstance and fined Boris Avsetsin 45,000 roubles.

Georgian journalists stand against law on foreign agents

On August 16, journalists Gela Mtivishvili and Nino Zuriashvili lodged a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court of Georgia. The journalists claim that the Law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” creates serious problems for the activities of investigative media.

On July 15, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili lodged a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court of Georgia with a demand to repeal the law on foreign agents. The Constitutional Court of Georgia was also addressed by 121 public organizations with a similar demand. NGO activists also requested the court to suspend the law during the consideration of the case.

The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, which unites more than 300 journalists, has decided not to get registered in the “Register of Organizations Implementing the Interests of a Foreign Power,” as required by the Law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence”, the “JAMnews” portal reports. The statement released by the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics emphasizes that the law was incompatible with the principles of a democratic and legal state that Georgia is trying to build, and contradicts freedom of expression, association, and other fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By August 18, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 4731 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2265 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2466 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 979 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 896, in the Rostov Region – 533, in the Krasnodar Territory – 528, in the Stavropol Territory – 461, in the Astrakhan Region – 362, in North Ossetia – 304, in Chechnya – 206, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 158, in Kalmykia – 89, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 80, in Ingushetia – 77, and in Adygea – 58.