Dagestan - next Chechnya?

[hellheaven1987]

An interesting article I find in BBC...

Once it was Chechnya, today it is the republic of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea that is the most explosive place in Russia - and in Europe. There are bomb attacks almost daily, shootouts between police and militants, tales of torture and of people going missing.

Two armed men in camouflage holding Kalashnikov rifles enter the shop and tell the customers to leave. The terrified cashier stumbles past as one of the men puts a bomb on the counter and sets the timer.

He does not bother emptying the till, he just walks out of the door.

Seconds later, the shop is filled with smoke.

Attacks like this one caught on supermarket security cameras - in which Islamic fighters punish shops that sell alcohol - have become routine events in Dagestan's capital, Makhachkala.

The owners typically get a warning first, often delivered by text message, or on a USB memory stick thrown through car windows, or into a letterbox.

If they ignore it, there may be a bomb or a shootout or the owners may agree to pay protection money.

"The fighters like to portray themselves as so devout," says a lieutenant colonel in the anti-terrorism police, who I will call Bashir.

"But many are just cynical criminals running protection rackets."

I met Bashir at a football match, watching the Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o - reportedly the world's best-paid footballer - play for Anzhi Makhachkala.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was relaxed, even joyful, with old men munching sunflower seeds and children waving flags, despite the heavy security outside.

After the game, a smiling Eto'o told me he was proud to play in Dagestan - but he does not spend much time here, heading straight back to the safety of Moscow after every match.

Source

It seems quite interesting that Dagestan has gone to a stage similar as Chechnya - not surprise though, consider its large amount of Muslim population. I wonder what would be the fact of Russian Caucasus in the future...

[Vanoi]

Free Dagestan

[Rolling Thunder]

It seems quite interesting that Dagestan has gone to a stage similar as Chechnya - not surprise though, consider its large amount of Muslim population. I wonder what would be the fact of Russian Caucasus in the future...

Being repeatedly beaten into submission by their Russian overlords seems the most likely outcome.

[Exarch]

*looks at Chechnya*

Dagestan's fate might well be the same as Chechnyas i reckon

[Admiral Piett]

Why do the Russians particularly want the Caucasus holdings they currently have anyway?

[hellheaven1987]

Why do the Russians particularly want the Caucasus holdings they currently have anyway?

Same reason why Lincoln did not let go South.

Dagestan's fate might well be the same as Chechnyas i reckon

Which is why the Muslim overlord Iran should donate a few nukes to Dagestan... Oh wait actually the trouble of Dagestan is started by Salafis, which probably going to have a role in the coming Egyptian election.

[Admiral Piett]

Same reason why Lincoln did not let go South.

Hehe


But it is a question that's always perplexed me. It's ethnically and ideologically opposed to the Rus. There's not a great deal of resources present there if I'm not mistaken.

[hellheaven1987]

But it is a question that's always perplexed me. It's ethnically and ideologically opposed to the Rus. There's not a great deal of resources present there if I'm not mistaken.

Dixie also claimed they were culturally and ideologically different than those inferior Yankee, did not stop Lincoln to invade Dixie South.

Besides, Dagestan still has oil pipe, far better economical profit than cotton.

[Condottiere 40K]

Originally, it was part of their grand plan for strategic depth.

Besides the political loss of face, they probably do want to hold on to those regions because they are somehow caught up with energy supplies.

[Dr. Croccer]

Hehe


But it is a question that's always perplexed me. It's ethnically and ideologically opposed to the Rus. There's not a great deal of resources present there if I'm not mistaken.

Oil pipe lines head right through it towards Azerbaijan, as well as many of the oil refineries and terminals are located near the region, notably Astrakhan. Having a hostile, militant regime that would almost certainly want to expand and include other Muslim territories in the region would be a threat to interests.

[In3x]

Hehe


But it is a question that's always perplexed me. It's ethnically and ideologically opposed to the Rus. There's not a great deal of resources present there if I'm not mistaken.

They don't want to lose the CoT in Astrakhan.

[karo]

Why do the Russians particularly want the Caucasus holdings they currently have anyway?

Because if Russia loses Northern Caucasus it will also lose Southern Caucasus, for the last 200 years Russia has been lord and master of the Caucasus and losing it would be a huge geopolitical loss.

[Facupay]

Putin will pacify the region. Resistance is futile.

[Ketnix]

Least they are nice enough to give a warning before they blow your up.

[DarthLazy]

That way they get more money. Dont think they are being nice or something.

[CiviC]

Demographically the number of Russians in North Caucasus declined drastically while the number of natives increased, this means Russia doesn't have anymore there enough people to control and influence those regions. Chechens for example maybe lost the war and many people but there is virtually no Russian left in Chechnya, except the military.

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

I'd take an unjust psuedo-democracy over theocratic thugs any day.

[YuriVII]

Demographically the number of Russians in North Caucasus declined drastically while the number of natives increased, this means Russia doesn't have anymore there enough people to control and influence those regions. Chechens for example maybe lost the war and many people but there is virtually no Russian left in Chechnya, except the military.

What you say is true...but it is more or less always been the case. Exception being time between Stalin's deportations and Khrushchev's repatriation. Russians though are still in the North Caucuses in big numbers...just not those two provinces. Cherkassia and Krasnodar Krai are populated mostly by Kuban and Terek Cossacks who are just North of these provinces. Kalmykia is also there but is sparsely populated by Buddhist Kalmyk tribes who are completely loyal (ie non belligerent) to Moscow. Terek Cossacks also reamain in Chechnya North of the river Terek. You can see in google maps that if you look at Chechnya you will notice a river called Terek. South of the river you have names like "village name"-yurt and north of the river you have Russian names like Vinogradnoye (Grape Village) and so on.

As to answer of why Russians hold on to North Caucuses it has always been a geopolitical priority for Moscow to expand to natural borders. Big mountains like the Caucuses are the best type of natural border. It's why a Ukraine up to the Carpathians was so important as well. And it would be the most secure area in Russia if it wasnt for all those ethnicities. This is the pragmatic reason why Stalin deported all those peoples from that area as morally wrong as it is.

also the Caucasus is a possible alternate route for gas pipelines

Possible? It already is and has been for quite a long time. Novorossijsk on the Black Sea is the largest oil terminal in the country and during the latter half of the USSR.

[Pavlik the Rus]

The region was extreemly important for centuries for Russian empire, SU and RF now. Many reasons for that - not only strategic importance, but even an attepmt to calm down hot region and defend own population on the north. The idea to leave this region is more and more popular amongst our population. We are tired. We can see so many preferences on that damn rocky "republics".
For example, in our "cruel, nationalistic and unhumanitarian Russia (tm)" all inhabitants from N. Caucasus region have a right to go to the any university or institute for free without any examinations. Only because he was born in that damn region, not because his abilities and knowledge. Within one year allmost all of them leave alma mater because of poor iq. Meantime we, the widly known opressors, overlords and so on aka Russians, must to to work and study hard to achieve high level of education.
"Republics" of N. Caucasus produces nothing except troubles and budget holes, but recives huge amounts of money, meantime regions of Russian mainland, who gives money to the federal budget, have no such support.
Another fail of Putin's politics. Probably the bigest one...

We want (i included) to evacuate all who want to, seal off region from other Russia and observe the war that will start immidiately. And yeah, dear students must leave demonic Russia and return to the heaven. But unfortunatly it will not happen.

[The Fishman]

The region was extreemly important for centuries for Russian empire, SU and RF now. Many reasons for that - not only strategic importance, but even an attepmt to calm down hot region and defend own population on the north. The idea to leave this region is more and more popular amongst our population. We are tired. We can see so many preferences on that damn rocky "republics".
For example, in our "cruel, nationalistic and unhumanitarian Russia (tm)" all inhabitants from N. Caucasus region have a right to go to the any university or institute for free without any examinations. Only because he was born in that damn region, not because his abilities and knowledge. Within one year allmost all of them leave alma mater because of poor iq. Meantime we, the widly known opressors, overlords and so on aka Russians, must to to work and study hard to achieve high level of education.
"Republics" of N. Caucasus produces nothing except troubles and budget holes, but recives huge amounts of money, meantime regions of Russian mainland, who gives money to the federal budget, have no such support.
Another fail of Putin's politics. Probably the bigest one...

We want (i included) to evacuate all who want to, seal off region from other Russia and observe the war that will start immidiately. And yeah, dear students must leave demonic Russia and return to the heaven. But unfortunatly it will not happen.

All true if by education and welfare you mean artillery shells and mass rape.