New circumstances of "repelling" an attack on a unit of the National Guard in Chechnya: the attackers were detained alive. And they were shot in the head.

Kadyrov revealed the purpose of the militant attack on a military unit in Chechnya

The militants attacked the military unit of the National Guard in Chechnya in order to seize weapons to carry out terrorist attacks. On Friday, March 24, he wrote on his page in Instagram head of the republic Ramzan Kadyrov.

“The terrorists have shown their true colors. Late at night, they made an attempt to seize weapons to enter the territory of one of the military units of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops. Now there is no doubt that the bandits intended to carry out resonant terrorist attacks using weapons if they managed to get it and get away alive, ”the message says.

Kadyrov confirmed the elimination of six militants, indicating that their identities had been established.

“Two are natives of the Rostov region, one is in the Volgograd region, three are natives of Chechnya,” he wrote.

According to him, since the creation of the Russian Guard, the fight against banditry has been significantly intensified. “With the active participation of the National Guard units, especially dangerous criminals who committed encroachments on the lives of police officers this winter have been liquidated, gangster groups have been uncovered and neutralized. This has not gone unnoticed by extremists who send young people to their deaths,” Kadyrov said in a statement.

Novaya Gazeta reported on the "Chinese execution" of those who attacked the National Guard

12:38 Vladislav Gordeev

Photo: unofficial community "Rosgvardia FSVNG" "Vkontakte"

The Novaya Gazeta publication cast doubt on the official version of the death of those who attacked a part of the Russian Guard in Chechnya on the night of March 24. According to the newspaper, they did not die during the repulse of the attack, but were shot.

After analyzing photographs of the corpses of those who attacked a part of the National Guard in the Naursky district of Chechnya, Novaya Gazeta concluded that the dead were shot, not killed during the clash. The publication writes about this in the article “Chinese execution” in the village of Naurskaya.

“Novaya Gazeta has at its disposal unretouched photographs of Chechens who allegedly died during the “clash”. These photographs were taken at the scene by one of the members of the investigative-operational group. The photographs clearly show that all the "attackers" were killed in almost the same way - by a shot in the head," the newspaper writes.

Forensic experts, criminologists and ballistics interviewed by the publication confirmed that everyone in the presented photographs has the same wounds: the entrance bullet hole is located in the area of ​​​​the auricle.

“Specialists have confirmed that the people in the photographs were shot almost point-blank,” the article says.

According to one of the former law enforcement officers, judging by the photographs, a typical “Chinese execution” took place - this was the name given to the execution of prisoners of war by both sides of the conflict who fought in Chechnya.

In addition, a photo of one of those killed with a dummy improvised explosive device clearly shows a smooth, fresh bruise, resembling a strangulation groove from handcuffs. The authors of the article also note that the explosive device was taped to the body with yellow tape over fresh stains from earth, grass and blood on the jacket.

“In fact, this means that someone has already strapped an IED to the corpse of a “militant,” the newspaper concludes.

The publication also reported that it has data on the nature of the injuries of four guardsmen. Major S. was diagnosed with an open craniocerebral injury and lacerations to his head and face. Senior Lieutenant S. received a gunshot wound to the right thigh, Private I. received a tangential gunshot wound to the knee joint.

An employee of the prosecutor's office, who participated in the examination of the bodies of the dead "attackers", said that they were armed only with sticks and knives. The fact that they do not have firearms is stated in the report of the National Guard, a copy of which was published by the newspaper. “Six members of the bandit underground were allegedly killed (the attackers were armed with knives, grenades and martyrs’ belts),” the document says.

According to the publication, mainly military personnel sent from other regions are serving in Naurskaya. According to the residents of the village, a conflict on ethnic grounds could have arisen between locals and military personnel. However, as the newspaper points out, this version does not explain the injuries and deaths of the guards.

The press secretary of the head of Chechnya, Alvi Karimov, at the request of RBC to comment on the publication of Novaya Gazeta, said that there were no doubts about the veracity of the information of the Russian Guard. “We have no doubts,” he said. When asked by an RBC correspondent whether the information from Novaya Gazeta that the attackers were shot after their arrest was true, Karimov advised the press service of the Russian Guard to contact him.

The press service of the Russian Guard told RBC that they currently do not have the right to comment on this publication, since the investigation is ongoing, the case is being handled by the Investigative Committee of Russia (TFR). And about. Svetlana Petrenko, head of the TFR department for media relations, declined to comment, citing the fact that the committee had already published a message about the initiation of a criminal case.

The report of the Investigative Committee stated that "members of an illegal armed group, carrying knives and firearms, attacked a military unit located in the village of Naurskaya, Naursky district of the Chechen Republic." A criminal case has been initiated on the grounds of the following crimes: encroachment on the life of military personnel, participation in an armed formation not provided for by federal law, illegal circulation of weapons committed by an organized group, as well as theft of firearms committed by an organized group, with the use of life-threatening violence.

An armed attack on a military unit in the village of Naurskaya took place on the night of March 24. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) reported that six soldiers of the Russian Guard were killed in the attack, three servicemen are in the hospital. The security service said that the militants had dummies of suicide belts with them. The attackers were killed.

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, said that the militants who attacked the military unit of the Russian Guard were planning to seize weapons and carry out terrorist attacks, their identities have been established. “During the skirmish, six militants were killed. Their identities have been established. Two are natives of the Rostov region, one is from the Volgograd region, three are natives of Chechnya, ”Kadyrov wrote on his Instagram. The head of the republic stressed that there is no doubt that "the bandits intended to carry out high-profile terrorist attacks using weapons if they managed to get it and get away alive." He also expressed confidence that the local security forces are able to destroy "any enemy" that encroaches on peace and stability in the region.

According to the adviser to the director of the Russian Guard, Alexander Khinshtein, the dead soldiers of the Russian Guard will be posthumously presented for awards.

According to the SITE Intellegence Group, which monitors the activity of Islamic terrorists and their supporters on the Internet, the terrorist group "Islamic State" (IS, banned in Russia) claimed responsibility for the attack on the military unit of the National Guard. The department for interaction with the media of the Russian Guard regarded these statements as evidence that the employees of the Russian military formation "are at the forefront of the fight against international terrorism."

With the participation of Inna Sidorkova

Novaya Gazeta showed these pictures to forensic experts, criminologists and ballistas. The interviewed specialists did not have any contradictions in their judgments about the nature and method of injury. Experts confirmed that the people in the photographs were shot almost point-blank; all those killed had a bullet entry hole located in the area of ​​the auricle.

Of particular interest is a photograph of a murdered Chechen with a dummy of an improvised explosive device (IED). (The fact that the IEDs were not real was officially confirmed by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee).

However, according to an official of the prosecutor's office who was directly involved in the examination of the scene, the Chechens who "attacked" military unit 3761 were armed only with sticks and knives.

This fact is also confirmed by the official reports of the National Guard (see photo). That is, the Chechens did not have firearms with them.

The attackers did not have firearms.

As a result of the shootout, all the attackers were killed. Models of suicide bombers were found on the bodies of two militants.

There are dead and wounded among the defenders of the military unit.

RIGA, March 24 - Sputnik. The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, controls the situation in the republic, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the head of the Russian state, said on Friday after the militants attacked the military unit of the Russian Guard, RIA Novosti reports.

"Of course, Kadyrov controls the situation in Chechnya, and you know that the president also highly appreciates the efforts of both law enforcement agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the efforts of regional authorities to ensure law and order. But, as the president said, no country in the world is immune from terrorist attacks “whether it be the Chechen Republic or whether it is the capital of Great Britain, unfortunately, these attacks happen everywhere,” Peskov answered the question whether the incident in Chechnya indicates whether Kadyrov controls the situation in the republic.

On Friday, it became known that six servicemen of the National Guard were killed, three more were injured in an attack by militants on a military unit in Chechnya. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee reported that six terrorists attacked the object of the military unit of the Russian Guard, stationed near the village of Naurskaya in Chechnya. The attack took place late at night in heavy fog, the militants were armed with firearms and knives. The terrorists were destroyed.

"When trying to penetrate the territory of the military camp, the bandit group was discovered by a military detachment, which entered into battle with it. Six attackers were destroyed. During the clash, six servicemen were killed, there are wounded," the message on the department's website noted.

"As a result of the decisive actions of the personnel, the bandit group did not penetrate into the town. At present, the clash area is blocked," the Russian Guard noted.

An employee of the National Guard, who was injured during an attack by militants in Chechnya, was wounded in the head, his condition is serious, two others received gunshot wounds in the legs. The lives of the wounded soldiers of the Russian Guard are currently not in danger. Psychologists work with the families of the wounded and the dead.

"One of the victims was wounded in the head, his condition is serious, two of the victims received gunshot wounds to the legs, their condition is of moderate severity," a source in law enforcement agencies said.

"The servicemen of the 140th artillery regiment of military unit 3761, located in the Naursky district, wounded as a result of an attack by militants, were taken to the central regional hospital. They are the rangefinder of the artillery regiment, the commander of the engineer-sapper battery, the deputy commander of the battery. They received gunshot wounds to the lower extremities, heads," — said the source.

The lives of the Rogvardia soldiers wounded during the attack in Chechnya are not in danger at the moment, they are in the hospital, Major General Nikolai Dolonin, deputy commander of the North Caucasian District of the National Guard troops of the Russian Federation, told reporters.

"Nothing threatens the lives of the wounded soldiers of the National Guard, measures have been taken to maintain their health, they are in the hospital. Psychologists and commanders are working with the families of the military personnel. Measures are being taken to provide them with psychological and material assistance," Dolonin explained.

Yevgeny Zubarev, commander of the North Caucasian District of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, has already flown to the site of the militant attack on a military camp in Chechnya, his deputy Major General Nikolai Dolonin told reporters.

"We are always ready to repel the attacks of all bandit groups. A group of insane armed people, taking advantage of the dark time of the day and fog, decided to attack the military camp. The commander of the North Caucasian District of the National Guard troops, Colonel General Yevgeny Zubarev, flew there to conduct an investigation. For us this is a tragedy. Investigative actions are being carried out now," Dolonin explained at a press conference.

As the director of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov said on Friday, the fighters who repelled the attack of militants on a military unit in Chechnya prevented civilian casualties.

“Unfortunately, our solemn event was overshadowed by the tragic events that took place last night in the village of Naurskaya in the Chechen Republic. As a result of a vile attack by suicide bombers, six of our comrades-in-arms died. They honestly fulfilled their military duty, preventing civilian casualties,” he said. .

According to him, "these events once again confirm that the troops of the National Guard are troops of constant combat readiness."

On Friday, at the central office of the Russian Guard, department director Viktor Zolotov presented state and departmental awards to servicemen and employees of the department who distinguished themselves in the performance of service-combat and operational-service tasks. Those present at the event honored the memory of the fallen soldiers with a minute of silence.

Later on Friday, AFP reported, citing the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors the Internet activity of radical groups, that the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia) claimed responsibility for the attack on the military unit of the National Guard in Chechnya.

The National Guard said that the fact that IS claimed responsibility for the attack on a military unit in Chechnya confirms that the Russian Federation is at the forefront of the fight against terror.

counter-terrorist operation

After the attack by militants, all military units of the National Guard in the North Caucasus were put on alert, said the deputy commander of the North Caucasus District of the troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.

"All military units deployed in the North Caucasus have been put on alert, measures are being taken jointly with the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prevent this from happening, intelligence has been strengthened," Dolonin said.

The active phase of the operation to eliminate the bandits who attacked the military unit of the National Guard in Chechnya has been completed, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee reported.

"The active phase of the operation to destroy the bandits has been completed," the message says.

At present, Russian FSB explosives technicians are working at the scene, and the liquidated criminals are being identified.

Investigators opened a criminal case into the attack.

"A criminal case has been opened on the fact of an armed attack on military personnel in the Chechen Republic under articles ... "Encroachment on the life of military personnel", "Participation in an armed formation not provided for by federal law", "Illegal circulation of weapons", "Theft of firearms," ​​the statement says. release.

Later, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on his Instagram page that the identity of all the killed militants had been established: two from the Rostov region, one from the Volgograd region, and three were natives of Chechnya.

"Late at night, they (terrorists) made an attempt to seize weapons to enter the territory of one of the military units of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops, located in the Naursky district of Chechnya. The courageous and decisive actions of the military personnel thwarted the plans of the bandits. During the shootout, six militants were destroyed. Their personalities Two are natives of the Rostov region, one is from the Volgograd region, three are natives of Chechnya," Kadyrov wrote.

Publication by Ramzan Kadyrov (@kadyrov_95) Mar 24, 2017 at 5:00 PDT

"I once again responsibly declare that units of law enforcement agencies are able to destroy any enemy who decides to encroach on peace and stability in the region," the head of the Chechen Republic noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack by terrorists on the military unit of the National Guard in Chechnya a "difficult event", which reminds of the need to unite efforts in the fight against terrorism.

At a meeting in the Kremlin with French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, the Russian leader noted that Russia, like other countries, has been repeatedly subjected to terrorist attacks.

“Literally today in the North Caucasus, in Chechnya, we also had a difficult event, one of the units of our National Guard was attacked by terrorists,” Putin addressed Le Pen. “We all live in such very difficult conditions. We must finally realize the reality this danger and join forces in the fight against terrorism."

Strong rebuff to terror

Russia, with the help of highly qualified actions of law enforcement agencies, will continue to respond harshly to manifestations of terrorism, Vasily Piskarev, head of the State Duma committee on security and countering terrorism, told reporters.

“They do this out of hopelessness. When they go for broke, it means that people have reached the edge, the bottom, when it is impossible to go any further. Terrorism is the bottom, a dead end from which there is no way out,” the parliamentarian said.

"And our country, with the help of highly qualified actions of law enforcement agencies, will continue to respond to such actions harshly and uncompromisingly," Piskarev said.

MOSCOW, March 24 - RIA Novosti. Terrorists attacked a military unit of the National Guard in Chechnya. As a result of the attack, six servicemen were killed, the militants were destroyed.

Attack in the fog

The outing of the bandits took place late at night - at 2:30. The National Guard said that the criminals tried to penetrate the location of the 140th artillery regiment of military unit 3761, which is located in the Naursky district of Chechnya.

The terrorists deliberately chose the time when there was thick fog around the military facility.

"When trying to penetrate the territory of the military camp, the bandit group was discovered by a military detachment, which entered into battle with it. Six attackers were destroyed," the Russian Guard said in a statement.

The department noted that the fighters managed to prevent the militants from entering the facility.

"The bandits were found to have firearms and ammunition, and on the bodies of two of them - dummies of suicide belts," the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said.

The Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case on the fact of the incident under the articles "Encroachment on the life of military personnel", "Participation in an armed formation not provided for by federal law", "Illegal circulation of weapons", "Theft of firearms".

According to the department, the militants were armed with firearms and knives.

An operational-investigative group and explosives experts from the FSB are currently working at the scene.

Losses of the security forces

As a result of the terrorist attack, six servicemen were killed. Their names and titles are not specified.

Three more soldiers were injured.

“This is a rangefinder of an artillery regiment, commander of an engineer battery, deputy commander of a battery,” a source in law enforcement agencies told RIA Novosti.

All the victims were first taken to the central regional hospital, after which they were transferred to a hospital in Grozny.

According to the interlocutor of the agency, the condition of one of the wounded is assessed as serious - a bullet hit him in the head.

"Two victims received gunshot wounds to the legs, their condition is moderate," the source added.

"Honestly fulfilled military duty"

The incident was commented by the director of the Russian Guard, Viktor Zolotov, who today presented awards to distinguished employees.

“Unfortunately, our solemn event was overshadowed by the tragic events that took place last night in the village of Naurskaya in the Chechen Republic. As a result of a vile attack by suicide bombers, six of our comrades died. They honestly fulfilled their military duty, preventing casualties among the civilian population,” Zolotov said. .

The participants honored the memory of the fallen soldiers with a minute of silence.

The militants go for broke

Vasily Piskarev, chairman of the State Duma committee on security and countering terrorism, said that Russia would continue to respond harshly to manifestations of terrorism.

“They do this out of hopelessness. When they go for broke, it means that people have reached the edge, the bottom, when it’s impossible to go any further. Terrorism is the bottom, a dead end from which there is no way out,” the parliamentarian said, commenting on the attack in Chechnya.

"And our country, with the help of highly qualified actions of law enforcement agencies, will continue to respond to such actions harshly and uncompromisingly," Piskarev added.

Terrorists went for weapons

Former State Duma deputy Anvar Makhmutov believes that the purpose of the bandits was to seize weapons.

"When the enemy is almost defeated, he becomes especially bold. Successes in the Caucasus in the fight against terrorism should not relax the units of the National Guard - they were tried to test their strength by forces that, unfortunately, have not stopped their activities there. The enemy is cunning, experienced," Makhmutov said on the air of Sputnik radio.

The expert also called for strengthening the military units of the National Guard.

"The enemy has shown that not only civilians, but also objects of law enforcement agencies can be the target of an attack. I think that serious measures will be taken to prevent such factors - the military units of the National Guard will be reinforced with more modern means of warning," he said.

As a result of an attack by militants on a military unit of the Russian Guard in the Naursky district of Chechnya, six servicemen were killed, and there are also wounded. This, according to TASS, was reported by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC). In the hospital, according to this information, there are three fighters of the National Guard - a rangefinder of an artillery regiment, a commander of an engineer battery, and a deputy commander of a battery.

According to the NAC, six militants on the night of Thursday to Friday, at about 2:30 am (the time in Chechnya coincides with Moscow), “attacked the object of the military unit of the Russian Guard in the area of ​​​​the village of Naurskaya in the north of the Chechen Republic.” The militants not only fired, but also carried dummies of suicide belts. As a result of the shootout, according to official information, all members of the gang were killed.

The press service of the Russian Guard reported that the militants used heavy fog to attack. They tried to enter the territory of the military camp, but were discovered by the military detachment. “As a result of the decisive actions of the personnel, the penetration of the bandit group into the town did not happen,” the official statement says.

Earlier, TASS, citing sources in law enforcement agencies, reported that eight militants participated in the attack, but two managed to escape, after which the “Interception” plan was announced in the Naursky district. RIA Novosti, citing the commander of the military unit, reports that the Fortress plan has been introduced. According to the instructions, the "Fortress" plan is introduced to repel armed attacks on socially significant objects.

Be that as it may, now the clash area is blocked. To clarify all the circumstances of what happened, an operational group of the central apparatus of the Russian Guard troops went to Chechnya.

Advisor to the head of the National Guard Alexander Khinshtein has already promised that all necessary assistance will be provided to the families of the servicemen who died in Chechnya. “These are real heroes. All will be posthumously presented for awards, ”- promised he.

The commander of the National Guard, Viktor Zolotov, himself said that the servicemen, having repelled the attack of the militants, honorably fulfilled their duty and prevented numerous civilian casualties.

Recall that in recent times militants rarely attack federal forces in Chechnya. The last major attack on law enforcement officers took place in late January in Shali. Then fire was opened on the police, who decided to check the documents of suspicious persons. As a result, two police officers were killed, three militants were killed.

On the night of December 18, 2016, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, reported on the liquidation of a group of armed criminals in Grozny. In the Oktyabrsky district of the capital of Chechnya, the bandits attacked a policeman and took possession of his car, after which they entered the house of another law enforcement officer. During the shootout, three traffic police officers were killed, seven militants were killed, and four more were detained.

On May 9, 2016, two militants attacked a checkpoint in Grozny, one of them blew himself up, and the other was killed during a firefight. Six police officers were injured in the attack.

RBC became aware of the details of the attack by militants on the part of the National Guard in Chechnya on the night of March 24. The militants were on the “Wahhabi” register, the guardsmen in the barracks were without weapons, and the guards on duty at the checkpoint were sleeping, a source in the National Guard and an interlocutor close to the power structures of Chechnya told RBC

At the site of the militants' attack on a part of the National Guard in Chechnya (Photo: NAC press service)

Sudden attack

Servicemen of the military unit of the Russian Guard (military unit 3761) in the Chechen village of Naurskaya, who were unarmed on the night of Thursday to Friday, March 24. This was reported to RBC by a source in the National Guard and an interlocutor close to the power structures of Chechnya.

By six o'clock in the evening, all military personnel, according to the governing documents, hand over their weapons to the storage room, the keys to which are at the duty officer of the military unit, sources told RBC. In the event of an attack on a unit, those on duty at the checkpoint (checkpoint) must report this to the unit commander. The commander, in turn, must take the keys to the weapons room from the duty officer and give the soldiers weapons. But on the night of the attack, no alarms were received from those on duty at the checkpoint: during the attack, they were sleeping, according to RBC interlocutors.

The militants climbed over the fence of the unit, quietly made their way to the checkpoint in the fog and entered through the open door, since the door was not closed during duty, the source of RBC, close to the power structures of Chechnya, restored the chronology of the attack. The attackers stabbed to death two sleeping guards, took away their machine guns and rubber truncheons. Having entered the territory of the unit, the militants stumbled upon a patrol.

In total, eight people participated in the attack on the guards. , RBC interlocutors claim that six militants were killed during the ensuing firefight with patrolmen, who, unlike the rest of the fighters of the unit, had weapons with them. Two more accomplices of the militants during the attack were outside the territory of the military unit - they “stand on the lookout”, and therefore, when the panic arose, they managed to hide, the second source explained. One of the two escapees has already been caught, a source from the National Guard said.

Video: NAC

Hearing the sounds of shooting, one of the privates of the unit tried to call the duty officer for 15 minutes, and another contract soldier called the neighboring military unit and reported the attack, but he was not immediately believed, sources told RBC. Earlier, TASS, citing its own source, reported that there were not six, but eight militants. According to the agency, the attack was repulsed after the battle at the checkpoint.

At least six of the eight attackers were on a preventive (so-called Wahhabi) record, said a RBC source close to the power structures of Chechnya. “Vakhuchet” is a practice organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Caucasus to unofficially register extremist suspects. In one of the groups in VKontakte appeared photos of the dead, who were photographed, presumably, when they were registered for preventive care. Those who attacked the military unit "climbed exclusively for weapons," concludes the interlocutor of RBC.

old acquaintances

The militants were well acquainted with the territory of the military unit, said a source close to the power structures of Chechnya. “Some of them had previously taken part in construction work: they tinted something, whitewashed it,” he said.

One of the six dead fighters of the National Guard was a signalman and happened to be at the scene of the shootout by accident. “There were two people on duty at the checkpoint, three on patrol, and this signalman was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” a source in the National Guard said.

At the same time, on the night of Friday, three servicemen were supposed to be on duty at the checkpoint, but one of them “was asked for leave,” the source says. The daily routine in accordance with the law is approved by the commander. But if necessary, the working day can be extended, the source explained.

A source close to the power structures of Chechnya added that a “day walk” outside the territory of a military unit costs 1,000 rubles, and the servicemen themselves call such time off “pro *** m”.

According to the interlocutor, the patrolmen, noticing outsiders hard to distinguish in the fog at night, shouted: “Stop!” To this, the militants replied: “Own, we are returning from the fuck.” It was precisely because the patrolmen heard the words familiar to them that they did not react properly, the source noted. “Only when the militants opened fire, it became clear that they were not their own,” the RBC source concluded.

Letting people out of the territory of the unit in exchange for a monetary reward or, for example, a block of cigarettes is a common practice in the army, Alexander Peredruk, spokesman for the human rights organization Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg, commented to RBC.

An official check of the circumstances of the incident showed that the military “acted in this situation courageously and selflessly, in accordance with their official duties and military regulations,” the press service of the North Caucasian District of the National Guard troops said on Wednesday, March 29 (quote from Interfax). This, the press service emphasized, made it possible to prevent numerous casualties among the military and their families living on the territory of the military camp. Investigating authorities continue to work and establish all the circumstances of the incident. “Therefore, the references of some media outlets to certain informed persons in the power structures of the Chechen Republic and allegedly the National Guard cannot be perceived as reliable information,” the press service emphasized.

The RBC editors are awaiting responses to requests from the Investigative Committee of Russia (TFR), as well as from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Chechnya. The Investigative Committee for Chechnya suggested that RBC send requests to the Investigative Committee for the North Caucasus Federal District and the Russian Guard "for consideration on the merits."

In turn, in response to a request sent to RBC on March 27, the Russian Guard reported that the Russian Investigative Committee is currently carrying out operational and investigative measures to clarify the circumstances of the incident. Therefore, the requested data can be made public only with the permission of the investigator. For additional information, the National Guard recommended contacting the investigating authorities. The department's response was received by RBC on April 6.

Official version

According to the security officials (Rosgvardia, Investigative Committee and NAC), on the night of March 23-24, a group of six militants, carrying knives and firearms, "taking advantage of the fog", attacked military unit 3761, located in the village of Naurskaya (Chechnya) . As a result of the attack, six servicemen of the National Guard were killed, three more were injured. During the exchange of fire, six militants were killed. On the bodies of two of them were found dummies of suicide belts.

The Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization banned in Russia is responsible for the incident. President Vladimir Putin this terrorist attack "a grave event", and the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov that considers himself guilty of the attack.

“In this case, first of all, it is my fault and the fault of all security and law enforcement agencies located in Chechnya,” Kadyrov said. According to him, the military "relaxed, they thought that they had neutralized everyone and detained them." The head of the Chechen Republic that the radicals were planning to seize weapons to carry out terrorist attacks.

"New" version

Novaya Gazeta questioned the official version of the death of those who attacked part of the National Guard. According to the publication's conclusions, the militants did not die during the repulse of the attack, but were shot "almost at close range" after the arrest. “All the dead have a bullet entry hole located in the area of ​​the auricle,” the article said.

Arguing its conclusions, Novaya Gazeta wrote that on the left hand of one of the killed terrorists, an even, fresh bruise was clearly visible, resembling a handcuff mark in appearance. Novaya Gazeta also claims that dummies of martyr's belts were already tied to the corpses of militants. “It is also clearly visible that an IED [improvised explosive device] is taped to the body of the deceased with yellow tape over fresh stains from earth, grass and blood on the attacker’s jacket,” the publication emphasized.

According to Novaya Gazeta, in military unit 3761, mainly servicemen seconded from other regions are serving (a RBC source clarified that only contract servicemen serve in the unit). With reference to the residents of the village of Naurskaya, Novaya Gazeta put forward a version that there was an ethnic conflict between local Chechens and servicemen of the unit, during which Chechens could be detained. “However, this version still does not clarify the circumstances of the injury and death of nine guards,” the publication emphasized.

Sniper, rope marks and IEDs

Some of the dead were “shot by a sniper, a Dagestani,” an RBC interlocutor from the National Guard explained the bullet wounds to the militants in the head. According to him, all the attackers were residents of the village. In addition to knives, they carried IEDs.

“The shahids’ belts were not dummies [as the official version claimed], but IEDs that the militants taped with tape,” a source from the National Guard said, stressing that the explosive devices were low-powered. “If one of the terrorists had brought his belt into action, then he himself would not have died from this,” the interlocutor explained.

The marks on the hand that Novaya noticed were left from the rope of a rubber baton, RBC sources say. A photo (18+) of one of the dead was published on the website of the Operative Line analytical community. In addition, Novaya Gazeta previously published a photo of another deceased. In both photographs, traces on the hands are more likely from a rope, and not from handcuffs, the head of the department of forensic medicine at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov Yuri Pigolkin.

“The damage is uncharacteristic of the action from the metal of the handcuffs, because the trace has jagged edges,” the forensic expert commented on the Novaya photo. - If there were handcuffs, then the strip would be even. By nature, the footprint [in the photo of Novaya] resembles an hourglass. There are abrasions on the lower and upper parts of the hand. Perhaps he was dragged by the hand.” However, the version with handcuffs cannot be completely ruled out, Pigolkin said. According to him, such damage could have been caused by handcuffs if he tried to pull off the bracelet.

Strengthening security measures

Advisor to the director of the National Guard Alexander Khinshtein refused to evaluate the publication of Novaya Gazeta. “There is a criminal case, there is an investigative group, there are bodies of both our servicemen and militants. And, of course, all the necessary examinations will be carried out on the case, including pathoanatomical ones. An examination will establish the cause of death for everyone, ”he told an RBC correspondent.

After the attack in the North Caucasus, "combat mode was introduced," Khinshtein added. When asked if security measures in Moscow have been strengthened after the events of March 24, Khinshtein replied that he did not know anything about this. According to the adviser to the director of the Russian Guard, in any case, anti-terrorist measures in Moscow and throughout Russia "are being actively and effectively applied."

“What happened showed that the problem of international terrorism, its threat in Russia is also relevant. Today, the National Guard is at the forefront of not just terrorism, but international terrorism,” he added. Khinshtein noted that the militants had an advantage during the attack. The fact that the attackers were destroyed on the spot speaks of the high preparedness and professionalism of the Russian military, he concluded.

Radical sympathies​

Despite the fact that ISIS militants claimed responsibility for the attack and the number of sympathizers of radical Islamists in the North Caucasus has recently increased, there is no need to fear a “return to the 90s”, experts interviewed by RBC believe.

The first ISIS cells in the region appeared at the end of 2014. Finally, the Caucasian branch in the form of the “Vilayat Kavkaz” group (“vilayat” means “province”) took shape in June 2015, when the leader of the “Vilayat” swore an oath of allegiance to the leader of the “Islamic State”. To date, only about 50 active ISIS militants appear on the official wanted list in the North Caucasus, military expert Andrei Payusov told RBC. The number of sympathizers is many times greater, he noted. “Roskomnadzor constantly blocks terrorist publics and websites. But any newly created group gains at least 500 subscribers per day, ”Payusov said.

The number of those loyal to the radicals has increased significantly since Russia entered the war in Syria in September 2015, said Anton Mardasov, head of the Middle East Conflicts Research Department at the Institute for Innovative Development. “When the Chechens saw that our Special Operations Forces were carrying out raids with Shia Hezbollah patches, this caused them not only bewilderment, but also, frankly, anger,” he said, recalling that the majority of the inhabitants of the republic are Sunnis. "Chechen" battalion of the military police of the Ministry of Defense in Syria is connected with an attempt to smooth out religious contradictions, Mardasov believes.

The Islamist underground still exists, and the militants continue to organize sabotage, said Sergey Markedonov, associate professor of the Department of Foreign Regional Studies and Foreign Policy of the Russian State University for the Humanities. For example, in August 2016, ISIS was responsible for the attack on a traffic police post in the Moscow region, in December - in Grozny, he recalled. But this does not mean that there is no fight against the militants and they feel at ease - a return to the "Russia of the 90s" should not be expected, since there are no large terrorist groups left in Russia, Markedonov is sure.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack as it tries to gain media attention amid defeats in Syria and Iraq in 2016, Leonid Isaev, an orientalist and senior lecturer at the Higher School of Economics, believes. “For jihadists, the worst thing is if they are forgotten and they stop writing and talking about them. Their main strategy is not to organize a terrorist attack, but to monitor the attacks and, as soon as something happens, declare that it is us, ”the expert summed up.