2009 Nazran bombing
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Nazran bombing occurred on 17 August 2009, when a suicide
car bomb
er attacked police headquarters in Nazran
, the largest city of the Republic of Ingushetia. At least 25 people were killed and 164 injured. It was the most serious terrorist attack in Ingushetia in recent years.
truck into the gates of a police headquarters building in Nazran, Ingushetia's largest city. The attack occurred as police officers were lining up nearby for a morning briefing. Policemen fired at the car, but were unable to stop it. The blast, which reportedly had the force of 400 kg of dynamite, created a crater 4 metres (13.1 ft) wide and 2 metres (6.6 ft) deep, damaged the police headquarters building and nearby apartments. It also caused ammunition stored in the police headquarters to explode. Twenty people were reported to have been killed and 138 were injured. The toll later rose to 25 killed and 164 wounded, with 15 of the dead being Russian policemen and 10 being Ingush.
According the Republic's Deputy Interior Minister Zyaudin Dourbekov, police had received information on August 15 that a vehicle of this type was going to be used in a a suicide bombing, but were unable to prevent the attack.
) and 50,000 rubles ($1,500 USD
) in compensation to the families of those killed or injured. Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations dispatched a plane to Ingushetia carrying medical specialists and aid for the victims. Following the attack, Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev
sacked Ingush Interior Minister Ruslan Meiriyev, saying that the attack could have been prevented. "This is the outcome not only of the problems related to terrorist attacks, but also of the republic law enforcement agencies' unsatisfactory work," Medvedev said. German Chancellor
Angela Merkel
offered condolences to those affected by the attack.
According to Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's Office
, the most likely motives for the bombings are revenge for the work carried out by the police against militants or an attempt to destabilize the situation in the region. On 18 August Alexander Bastrykin
said that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has received information about the organizers of the attack. He refused to name the suspects at this stage, but said that they belonged to the same groups that had conducted similar attacks in recent years. Bastrykhin assured that the FSB was doing everything it can to solve the crime.
On 21 August, a Chechen group claimed responsibility for the attack.
On 18 August, President Medvedev put Deputy Interior Minister of Russia, Colonel-General Arkady Yedelev in charge of all security and police operations in Ingushetia. The President of Ingushetia
, Yunus-bek Yevkurov
, who had survived an assassination attempt in June 2009, said the rebels' goal was to "destabilise the situation and spread panic" in Ingushetia and claimed that the West
had a hand in the escalation in the North Caucasus with the aim to prevent Russia from reviving "its former Soviet might".
On 19 August, President Dmitry Medvedev said that the continuing attacks against Ingush leadership, law enforcement officials and civilians must be dealt with severe punishment. He said that although external factors such as foreign funding for Islamist terrorists are also a concern, for the most part North Caucasus' security problems are the results of internal reasons such as corruption and socio-economic problems. "The roots are in the structure of our life, in unemployment, clans who could not care less about people and whose only concern is to how to divide the money poured in here, to get a contract and to settle scores with one another later, as well as corruption, which has really become very widespread among law enforcement authorities."
republics of Russia and terrorist attacks became more frequent. Although Chechen
separatist activity was confirmed to be diminished due to the heavy-handed security measures undertaken by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov
, violence in Chechnya has been replaced by Islamic insurgency in the neighbouring republics, Dagestan and Ingushetia
.
After the June attempt on President Yevkurov's life, there had been several incidents just days before the Nazran attack on 17 August. Several other leading Ingush officials have been assassinated since June 2009, including Deputy Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court
Aza Gazgireeva, former Deputy Prime Minister
Bashir Aushev
, the head of the Forensics
and Investigations Center Magomed Gadaborshev
, and Construction
Minister Ruslan Amerkhanov
.
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
er attacked police headquarters in Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
, the largest city of the Republic of Ingushetia. At least 25 people were killed and 164 injured. It was the most serious terrorist attack in Ingushetia in recent years.
Attack
At 9:08 a.m.(MSK) on 17 August 2009, an unidentified militant drove a GAZelleGAZelle
The GAZelle is a series of mid-sized trucks, vans and buses made by Russian car manufacturer GAZ. GAZelles are similar to the later launched GAZ-2215/GAZ-2752 Sobol and GAZ-3310 Valdai line of vans and light trucks...
truck into the gates of a police headquarters building in Nazran, Ingushetia's largest city. The attack occurred as police officers were lining up nearby for a morning briefing. Policemen fired at the car, but were unable to stop it. The blast, which reportedly had the force of 400 kg of dynamite, created a crater 4 metres (13.1 ft) wide and 2 metres (6.6 ft) deep, damaged the police headquarters building and nearby apartments. It also caused ammunition stored in the police headquarters to explode. Twenty people were reported to have been killed and 138 were injured. The toll later rose to 25 killed and 164 wounded, with 15 of the dead being Russian policemen and 10 being Ingush.
According the Republic's Deputy Interior Minister Zyaudin Dourbekov, police had received information on August 15 that a vehicle of this type was going to be used in a a suicide bombing, but were unable to prevent the attack.
Aftermath
The Ingush authorities announced a three-day mourning period and promised to pay 100,000 rubles ($3,000 USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) and 50,000 rubles ($1,500 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) in compensation to the families of those killed or injured. Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations dispatched a plane to Ingushetia carrying medical specialists and aid for the victims. Following the attack, Russian President
Government of Russia
The Government of the Russian Federation exercises executive power in the Russian Federation. The members of the government are the prime minister , the deputy prime ministers, and the federal ministers...
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
sacked Ingush Interior Minister Ruslan Meiriyev, saying that the attack could have been prevented. "This is the outcome not only of the problems related to terrorist attacks, but also of the republic law enforcement agencies' unsatisfactory work," Medvedev said. German Chancellor
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
offered condolences to those affected by the attack.
According to Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's Office
Prosecutor General of Russia
The Prosecutor General of Russia heads the system of official prosecution in courts known as the Office of the Prosecutor General of Russian Federation ....
, the most likely motives for the bombings are revenge for the work carried out by the police against militants or an attempt to destabilize the situation in the region. On 18 August Alexander Bastrykin
Alexander Bastrykin
Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin is a Russian official, Former First Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia,and former Chairman of The Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor General's Office...
said that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has received information about the organizers of the attack. He refused to name the suspects at this stage, but said that they belonged to the same groups that had conducted similar attacks in recent years. Bastrykhin assured that the FSB was doing everything it can to solve the crime.
On 21 August, a Chechen group claimed responsibility for the attack.
On 18 August, President Medvedev put Deputy Interior Minister of Russia, Colonel-General Arkady Yedelev in charge of all security and police operations in Ingushetia. The President of Ingushetia
President of Ingushetia
The President of the Republic of Ingushetia is the highest office within the Government of Ingushetia.-Presidents of Ingushetia:*Ruslan Aushev *Murat Zyazikov *Yunus-bek Yevkurov...
, Yunus-bek Yevkurov
Yunus-bek Yevkurov
Yunus-bek Bamatgireyevich Yevkurov is the current president of the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia, appointed by President Dmitry Medvedev on 30 October 2008...
, who had survived an assassination attempt in June 2009, said the rebels' goal was to "destabilise the situation and spread panic" in Ingushetia and claimed that the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
had a hand in the escalation in the North Caucasus with the aim to prevent Russia from reviving "its former Soviet might".
On 19 August, President Dmitry Medvedev said that the continuing attacks against Ingush leadership, law enforcement officials and civilians must be dealt with severe punishment. He said that although external factors such as foreign funding for Islamist terrorists are also a concern, for the most part North Caucasus' security problems are the results of internal reasons such as corruption and socio-economic problems. "The roots are in the structure of our life, in unemployment, clans who could not care less about people and whose only concern is to how to divide the money poured in here, to get a contract and to settle scores with one another later, as well as corruption, which has really become very widespread among law enforcement authorities."
Background
In 2009, the violence grew in the North CaucasianNorth Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
republics of Russia and terrorist attacks became more frequent. Although Chechen
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
separatist activity was confirmed to be diminished due to the heavy-handed security measures undertaken by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel.Ramzan is a son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, assassinated in May 2004. In February 2007 Kadyrov replaced Alu Alkhanov as President, shortly after he had turned 30, which is the minimum age for the post...
, violence in Chechnya has been replaced by Islamic insurgency in the neighbouring republics, Dagestan and Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
.
After the June attempt on President Yevkurov's life, there had been several incidents just days before the Nazran attack on 17 August. Several other leading Ingush officials have been assassinated since June 2009, including Deputy Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Ingushetia
The Supreme Court of Ingushetia is the highest legal tribunal of the Russian subject of Ingushetia, which lies to the west of Chechnya.The Court has undergone a tragic period in the 2000s, with Deputy Chief Justice Khasan Yandiyev, being assassinated on April 13, 2008, and successor Aza Gazgireeva...
Aza Gazgireeva, former Deputy Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Bashir Aushev
Bashir Aushev
Bashir Magometovich Aushev was a Russian-Ingush politician, who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Ingushetia from 2002 until 2008.Aushev served as Deputy Prime Minister under former Ingush President Murat Zyazikov. Zyazikov was a former Soviet K.G.B. agent, who was unpopular in Ingushetia...
, the head of the Forensics
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
and Investigations Center Magomed Gadaborshev
Magomed Gadaborshev
Magomed Gadaborshev was a Russian-Ingushetian colonel who headed Ingushetia's Forensics and Investigations Center.On July 7, 2009, attackers opened fire on Gadaborshev's car as he drove through the city center of Nazran, the largest city in Ingushetia. He suffered gunshot wounds in the attack and...
, and Construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
Minister Ruslan Amerkhanov
Ruslan Amerkhanov
Ruslan Amerkhanov was a Russian official and politician. He served as the Construction Minister for the southern Republic of Ingushetia, located in Russia's troubled North Caucasus region....
.
See also
- 2004 Nazran raid2004 Nazran raidThe Nazran raid was a large-scale raid carried out in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia, on the night of June 21-22, 2004, by a large number of mostly Chechen and Ingush militants led by the Chechen commander Shamil Basayev...
- List of terrorist incidents, 2009
- Civil war in IngushetiaCivil war in IngushetiaThe civil war in Ingushetia began in 2007 as an escalation of an insurgency in Ingushetia connected to the separatist conflict in Chechnya. The conflict has been described as a civil war by local human rights activists and opposition politicians; others have referred to it as an uprising...
- North Caucasus Insurgency 2009
- August curseAugust curseThe August curse is a perceived phenomenon in Russia, in which tragic events are felt to occur unusually often in the month of August. Many possible explanations have been presented for the phenomenon.-Overview:...