Tag: North Caucasus

The establishment of the Dagestan National Centre in Russia and the Dagestan Volunteer Battalion ‘Imam Shamil’ in Ukraine underscores the reverberations of the Ukraine conflict in the North Caucasus. This development highlights a substantial threat emanating from various movements and organisations, advocating for the destabilisation and fragmentation of the Russian Federation.

The recent business mission conducted by Stavropol-based companies to Abkhazia signified a noteworthy advancement with extensive ramifications for both Sukhum and Pyatigorsk. This exchange also highlights Pyatigors’ approach to promote foreign business ventures for the Russian Federation.

In the ongoing contest between Russia and Ukraine for endorsement from the Islamic world, the North Caucasus emerges as a critical asset in the Kremlin’s strategic arsenal. It serves as a linchpin for Moscow’s domestic political efforts in managing a diverse, multireligious, and multiethnic society, while also underpinning Russia’s foreign policy activities directed towards the Arab-Muslim world.

Given the significance of the North Caucasus region in the intricate Eurasian geopolitical landscape and the potential role of indigenous communities within Russian society, SpecialEurasia decided to visit the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia to attend the Forum of Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Federation.

The recent visit of the North Caucasian Federal University (NCFU) delegation to Iraq marked a significant step towards fostering cooperation between the Russian North Caucasus and the Middle Eastern country.

This report highlights the reasons the North Caucasus remains important and necessitates ongoing monitoring and provides some future scenarios about the region.

Dagestan and Tajikistan’s entente on developing cooperation confirms the North Caucasus’s role in promoting relations between Russia and foreign countries, especially those in the blizhnee zarubezhe (near abroad) where the Kremlin wants to confirm its presence and influence.

The Kremlin might face a new wave of violent attacks or regional destabilisation due to the establishment of the Ingush Liberation Army, a military branch that the Ingush Independence Committee created to support an independent Ingushetia separated from the Russian Federation.

Increased Russian investments in Adygea confirm the Kremlin’s strategy to implement the North Caucasus’ socioeconomic development and transform the region into a logistics hub supporting the diversification of Russian exports.

The commercial and political partnership between Dagestan and Azerbaijan might support the increasing relations between Moscow and Baku and implement the Russian foreign policy in the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea region.

Stavropol authorities’ desire to open trade offices abroad might underline Russia’s strategic economic goal in the Eurasian geopolitical chessboard, especially in Azerbaijan, Iran, China, and the United Arab Emirates.

The establishment of an IT Park in Ingushetia named after Adam Khamkhoev, killed in May 2022 in Ukraine, underlined local and central authorities’ desire to promote economic development and support Kremlin’s narrative related to heroism and national unity.

Iran and Dagestan have increased their trade exchange through the Makhachkala Commercial Port, where the Kremlin has invested financial funds to transform this infrastructure into a logistic hub in the Caspian Sea, which might undermine the role of the close port of Baku in Azerbaijan.

The Stavropol territory welcomed representatives from the Middle East and Africa in the event “North Caucasus in the Changing World”, whose goal was to create a link between the region and potential foreign investors and markets.

Recent arrests of Russian citizens in the Stavropol territory linked with the Islamic State confirmed that jihadist propaganda penetrated the Russian territory by exploiting local problems and influencing the Muslim communities disseminated in the country, especially in the North Caucasus, where the Kremlin has contrasted local militancy and religious extremism.

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the Russian Federation organised an event in the city of Makhachkala to promote the national culture and create a link with Dagestan, a strategic North Caucasian republic located on the Caspian Sea.

Kremlin’s promotion of Dagestan culture and society in Sochi underlines Moscow’s goal to contrast Kavkazophobia and, simultaneously, improve the link between ethnic Russians and local ethnic Dagestani groups since this North Caucasian republic has a strategic role in the Caspian Sea region.

Iran will play a primary role in the import-export activities in the Dagestani port of Makhachkala. The recent meeting between Dagestan and Iran’s representatives showed mutual interest in expanding trade cooperation and transit agreement.

Since the Ukraine conflict has attracted foreign fighters and the Russian Armed Forces have among their soldiers Muslim believers, the leaders of the Russian Muslim organisations released a statement supporting the Kremlin.

While the Russian military forces are approaching Kyiv, Chechnya is trying to play its diplomatic role in the Gulf Arab countries to support the Russian Federation in the international arena.

The Chechen kadyrovtsy might have been deployed in Ukraine to support the Russian troops. This news caused the reaction of the Caucasus Emirate and underlined the important role that Chechnya plays in the Kremlin’s foreign policy and military strategy.

Giuliano Bifolchi, Research Manager di SpecialEurasia, analizza il processo storico, culturale e religioso della regione nord caucasica nel suo libro “Storia del Caucaso del Nord tra presenza russa, Islam e terrorismo” pubblicato da Anteo Edizioni.

On January 27th, 2022, SpecialEurasia organised the Webinar “Geopolitica e conflitti nel Caucaso: sfide attuali e sviluppi futuri”…

Il Distretto del Caucaso del Nord, area di primaria importanza strategica euroasiatica, mira a divenire un centro di attrazione turistica sia attraverso la realizzazione di progetti di investimento e di costruzione di infrastrutture per il turismo sia tramite una campagna di promozione volta a valorizzare la storia, la cultura e il patrimonio ambientale locale.

In Belgio, la polizia locale ha condotto 28 perquisizioni contro l’organizzazione terroristica Imarat Kavkaz a dimostrazione di come la propaganda jihadista in lingua russa possa influenzare la diaspora nord caucasica presente sul suolo europeo.

The recent terrorist attack in France highlights the security problem and the impact of jihadist propaganda in the Russian language inside the European Union. In fact, Islamic State ideologies and the presence of the North Caucasian diaspora in Europe might threaten EU security.

Russia plans to develop the infrastructure of the port of Makhachkala to transform the Dagestani capital into a logistic hub in the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus region and boost socio-economic development.  Moscow’s desire to upgrade Makhachkala’s seaport and airport challenges the city of Baku, and the Azerbaijani aim to become the Caspian interconnection.