Gunmen carried out attacks on several locations in Russia’s Dagestan, including an Orthodox church, a synagogue, and a traffic police post. The assaults occurred in two cities, resulting in the deaths of more than 15 police officers and civilians, including Orthodox priest Nikolai Kotelnikov. The coordinated attacks left over two dozen others injured, and there has been no claim of responsibility yet.

The incident in Derbent saw the fatal shooting of 66-year-old priest Nikolai Kotelnikov at the Church of Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Gunmen also targeted the city’s synagogue, although it was empty at the time.

Following the ongoing violence in Derbent and Makhachkala, Russia initiated a “counterterrorist operation.” The Holy Dormition Cathedral in Makhachkala was also under attack, with reports of people trapped inside. Law enforcement reported that the attackers were linked to an international terrorist organization and used foreign weaponry.

In Makhachkala, two suspects were killed at a traffic police post, while another two were apprehended at a beach. Officials condemned the attacks, with Dagestan’s head Sergey Melikov describing them as attempts to destabilize the region. Meanwhile, State Duma member Abdulkhakim Gadzhiyev suggested a connection to Ukrainian and NATO special services, though no evidence has been provided to support this claim.