The assaults occurred in the biggest city of Makhachkala and the coastal city of Derbent in Dagestan, where ongoing gun battles were taking place.
The Investigative Committee of Russia announced the initiation of criminal investigations into "terrorist acts", as the search for the attackers continued.
According to the TASS state news agency, witnesses reported hearing gunfire near a church in Makhachkala, while clashes persisted in Derbent. The interior ministry of Dagestan confirmed the elimination of two gunmen in Makhachkala. For more images click on me
According to a statement from the National Antiterrorism Committee to the RIA Novosti news agency, armed attacks were carried out on two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a police checkpoint in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala this evening. Tragically, preliminary information suggests that a priest from the Russian Orthodox Church and police officers lost their lives as a result of these terrorist attacks.
The attacks also resulted in the deaths of six police officers and the injury of twelve others, as confirmed by Gayana Gariyeva, the spokeswoman for Dagestan's interior ministry. Additionally, Russia's National Guard reported the loss of one officer in Derbent, with several others sustaining injuries. The press secretary of Dagestan's interior ministry further informed the agency that a 66-year-old priest was among those killed in Derbent.
Synagogues on fire
Dagestan's RGVK broadcaster identified the priest as Nikolai Kotelnikov, stating that he had dedicated over 40 years of service in Derbent.
The head of the public council of Russia's Federation of Jewish Communities, Boruch Gorin, reported on Telegram that the synagogue in Derbent was engulfed in flamesFor more images click on me.
Efforts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals: a policeman and a security guard.
Gorin also mentioned that the synagogue in Makhachkala was targeted and destroyed by fire.
In Derbent, firefighters were forced to retreat from the burning synagogue due to the presence of potential terrorists inside, as reported by Gorin.
He further stated that there were reports of gunfire in the vicinity of the synagogue.
Sergei Melikov, the leader of Dagestan, communicated via Telegram that there were attempts to disrupt social order in Derbent and Makhachkala by unidentified attackers.
These individuals were met with resistance by the Dagestani police force.
In April, Russia's FSB security service announced the arrest of four suspects in Dagestan for allegedly planning a deadly attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall concert venue in March, a plot claimed by the Islamic State. For more images click on me
After the attack on the Crocus City Hall venue near Moscow in March, authorities attributed the blame to Ukraine and the West, despite the Islamic State group claiming responsibility. At that time, President Vladimir Putin firmly stated that Russia could not be targeted by Islamic fundamentalists due to its exceptional demonstration of interfaith harmony, inter-religious unity, and inter-ethnic unity.
However, just three months ago, Russia's domestic security service, the FSB, disclosed that it had successfully foiled an IS plot to target a Moscow synagogue. Since Russia's complete invasion of Ukraine, the Russian population has been led to believe that their primary adversaries are Ukraine and the "collective West." Russian authorities are hesitant to alter this message to prevent public skepticism regarding the official narrative.
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