Introduction
Several important events have taken place in the North Caucasus over the past two weeks. A conference on Circassian issues held in Azerbaijan’s town of Shusha has once again brought the Circassian question to the international level. Meanwhile, the second marriage of Ramzan Kadyrov’s son has prompted renewed speculation regarding succession and the future transfer of power in Chechnya, and fuel shortages have affected parts of the North Caucasus. Here are the main events that took place over the last two weeks in the North Caucasus.
Adyghea
A conference dedicated to the Circassian genocide was held in the town of Shusha, Azerbaijan. Titled Ethnic and Cultural Diversity: Lessons of History and Contemporary Challenges, the event was organised by the Center of Cultural and Ethnic Diversity, headed by Azerbaijani journalist Seyfaddin Huseynli. According to reports, Huseynli’s brother was killed during the 2025 crackdown on members of the Azerbaijani diaspora by Russian law enforcement authorities.
The conference was attended by representatives of the Circassian diaspora from Turkey and several other countries. Participants discussed the atrocities committed by the Russian Empire during the nineteenth-century Caucasian War and their long-term consequences for the Circassian people.
At the conclusion of the event, the participants adopted a declaration calling on the Russian authorities to end the recruitment of Circassians and other peoples of the North Caucasus into the Russian armed forces, and to cease their deployment to the war in Ukraine.
Following the downing of an AZAL passenger aircraft by Russian air defences, Azerbaijan has adopted a more assertive stance in its relations with Russia. Officials in Baku have increasingly employed anti-colonial rhetoric when discussing Moscow’s policies towards the Caucasus and other regions. Against this backdrop, the decision to host a conference on the Circassian genocide in Shusha is consistent with Azerbaijan’s broader political messaging. Indeed, Azerbaijan appears to be following a path previously taken by Georgia, Ukraine, and the Baltic states, all of which have hosted conferences on the Circassian issue, while Georgia and Ukraine have formally recognised the Circassian genocide. Although official recognition of the Circassian genocide by Azerbaijan remains unlikely in the near future, Baku is likely to continue using North Caucasus-related issues as part of its political and diplomatic engagement with Russia.
Karachaevo-Cherkesia
Circassian activist Kase Kik has been sentenced in absentia to seven years’ imprisonment on charges of disseminating “false information” about the Russian armed forces. Kik, who has lived abroad for several years now, was convicted under Russia’s wartime legislation regulating public statements about the military. Kik has rejected the allegations, describing the verdict as politically motivated. He has also reiterated his opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The prosecution of Kase Kik is part of a wider pattern of increasing pressure on Circassian activists. Whereas the 2000s allowed comparatively greater space for Circassian cultural and political activism within Russia, the authorities have significantly tightened restrictions since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Cases involving activists such as Martin Kochesoko, Ibrahim Yaganov, and Larisa Tuptsokova are frequently cited as examples of this trend. One explanation advanced by observers is that the Russian authorities view the Circassian movement with particular caution due to its extensive transnational diaspora networks and the movement’s ability to mobilise support both within the North Caucasus and abroad.
Kabardino-Balkaria
A resident of Nalchik has been arrested on charges of the rehabilitation of Nazism and insulting Russia’s military glory. According to the investigation, the 41-year-old suspect administered a social media group in which he allegedly published content deemed to denigrate Russia’s Victory Day commemorations. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment.
This is not the first case in which a resident of the North Caucasus has been prosecuted on similar charges. Earlier this year, a resident of the Republic of Adygea was arrested for allegedly desecrating an Eternal Flame memorial commemorating the Soviet victory in the Second World War. In contemporary Russia, Victory Day and the memory of the Second World War occupy a central place in official state ideology and public commemorations. However, attitudes towards these narratives are not uniform across the North Caucasus. Historical experiences, such as the wartime deportations of several North Caucasian peoples to Central Asia, and the disproportionately high losses suffered by conscripts from the region, continue to influence alternative interpretations of the war and its legacy.
North Ossetia
With Ukrainian drone strikes ongoing, the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania has been experiencing fuel shortages. Videos posted on social media show long queues at petrol stations across the republic, suggesting disruptions to local fuel supplies. Local officials, however, have denied that a fuel crisis exists. The head of the republic, Sergey Menyailo, stated that fuel prices remain stable and claimed they are approximately half the level of those in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkarian. Social media users have disputed these claims, reporting persistent shortages and arguing that fuel prices have risen significantly.
Fuel shortages appear to be gradually spreading to the North Caucasus, and are likely to cause increasing disruption to daily life, particularly in the region’s mountainous areas, which depend heavily on supplies from other parts of Russia. If Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure continue into the winter months, there is also a risk of disruptions to essential public services. In particular, prolonged damage to energy infrastructure could affect the ability of municipal utilities to provide reliable heating and other basic services in the larger cities of the North Caucasus.
Ingushetia
The newspaper Kommersant published an article accusing the Batal-Haji Brotherhood, also known as the Batalkhadzhintsy, of supporting the Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus between 2007 and 2012. According to the publication, the brotherhood’s late leader, Ibrahim Belkharoev, maintained links with Doku Umarov, the leader of the Caucasus Emirate (Imarat Kavkaz). The brotherhood has rejected these allegations. In an official statement, its representatives denied any involvement in supporting the insurgency, and instead highlighted their close relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov and their longstanding cooperation with the authorities in combating terrorism.
The Batal-Haji Brotherhood is widely regarded as one of the most secretive religious communities in the North Caucasus. Membership is largely based on kinship ties, and the group is generally considered closed to outsiders. Over the years, the brotherhood’s name has frequently appeared in connection with criminal investigations and episodes of violence.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Russian authorities have adopted a significantly more confrontational approach towards the brotherhood, increasingly portraying it as a security threat. For example, members of the Mutsolgov family, associated with the group, have been arrested on charges of terrorism and the creation of an illegal armed group. If convicted, they face prison sentences of up to 20 years.
Chechnya
Akhmat Kadyrov, the eldest son of Ramzan Kadyrov and Deputy Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic, has reportedly married for a second time. The wedding ceremony took place in the village of Akhmat-Yurt. The identity of his second wife has not been made public.
According to the opposition Telegram channel NIYSO, Ramzan Kadyrov compelled his son to divorce his first wife, Tamila Makhmatova. The report claims that the Kadyrov family believed Tamila’s relatives, particularly her father Nasruddin Makhmatov, a former member of the Grozny City Council and owner of several dental clinics, had acquired excessive influence over Akhmat Kadyrov through the marriage. NIYSO further alleged that Tamila Makhmatova’s parents were unofficially detained by security personnel loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov. These claims have not been independently verified.
Akhmat Kadyrov is widely regarded by observers as the family member currently receiving the strongest support from his father, Ramzan Kadyrov, as a potential successor to the leadership of the Chechen Republic. This perception became more pronounced following the reported car accident involving his younger brother, Adam Kadyrov, who, prior to the accident, was the alleged “favourite” for the role. Prior to the reported accident, Adam Kadyrov was actively promoted by his father through appointments to a number of senior positions within the security services and by receiving multiple state awards.
Compared with other male members of the Kadyrov family, Akhmat Kadyrov is generally viewed as maintaining a lower public profile, and has not been associated with the same level of public controversy or violent incidents. Some commentators suggest that this makes him a more viable candidate for future leadership. Against this backdrop, reports alleging efforts to limit the influence of his wife’s family over him have been interpreted by some observers as reflecting a desire within the Kadyrov family to maintain close control over a potential successor. These interpretations, however, remain speculative and have not been officially confirmed.
Dagestan
A resident of Dagestan issued a public apology after insulting the State Automobile Inspectorate (GIBDD). According to reports, the incident followed a traffic stop during which police officers cited the individual for excessively tinted vehicle windows. Viewing the fine as unjustified, he photographed the registration number of the police vehicle and subsequently published a video in which he directed insulting remarks at the GIBDD. A later video showed the same individual, appearing clean-shaven, publicly retracting his earlier statements and apologising for his remarks. However, numerous online commentators have questioned the voluntariness of the apology, suggesting that it may have been made under pressure from law enforcement authorities. While there is no independent verification of these claims, the case has fuelled wider public discussion regarding the use of public apology videos and the potential role of coercion in their production.
The practice of public apologies is not new in the North Caucasus. It is widely associated with the administration of Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya, where individuals who publicly criticised the authorities were frequently compelled to record video apologies after reportedly being subjected to intimidation or humiliation. In these recordings, individuals typically retracted their earlier statements and publicly renounced their criticism. Over time, this practice diffused beyond Chechnya to other republics of the North Caucasus. Similar cases have also been reported in neighbouring Georgia, suggesting that the use of public apologies as an informal mechanism of social and political control is not confined to a single jurisdiction. The persistence and geographical spread of this practice represent the culture of impunity that is widespread in parts of the North Caucasus.