Multiple coordinated attacks by armed militants in Dagestan, Russia, targeting Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police post, have resulted in casualties including the deaths of a Russian Orthodox priest, a church security guard, and police officers.
On June 23, 2024, armed militants launched multiple coordinated attacks in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan. The targets included two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police post, according to reports from Russian state news agency Tass. The assaults occurred in the cities of Derbent and the capital, Makhachkala.
The violence led to the deaths of a Russian Orthodox priest, a church security guard, and at least six police officers. Additionally, more than two dozen individuals were injured. Dagestan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that a group of armed men opened fire on a synagogue and a church in Derbent, setting both places of worship ablaze. Almost concurrently, a traffic police post in Makhachkala was attacked, resulting in significant casualties.
In response, Dagestan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that four of the attackers were “eliminated” in Makhachkala. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but some local officials attributed the violence to intelligence services linked to Ukraine and NATO. Ukrainian officials have not commented on these allegations.
Dagestan, a region with a predominantly Muslim population but also home to Jewish and Christian communities, has a history of violence and ethnic tension. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a terrorism investigation into the attacks.
