The Decolonization of Russia Will Start from the Caucasus?

Recentevents in Dagestan vividly demonstrate that Moscow has failed to fullysubjugate the Caucasus — the process of decolonization is inevitable and willbegin with this freedom-loving region.

Theevents of the past few weeks in Dagestan highlight the unstable position ofMoscow in the temporarily occupied territory of the North Caucasus. It seemsthat especially in this particular region people most clearly understand thatRussian imperialism will not stop on its own — it must be stopped.

OnJune 23, attacks occurred on a synagogue and an Orthodox church in Dagestan. InMakhachkala and Derbent, a counter-terrorist operation (CTO) regime wasintroduced. Over 15 police officers and several civilians were killed, amongthem Nikolai Kotelnikov, a senior priest of the Russian Orthodox Church who hadserved at the Pokrov Church of the Holy Virgin in Derbent for more than 40years. These events posed a serious challenge not only for the Moscow-appointedauthorities but also for the local FSB agents. A week before the incident, ananti-terrorist meeting was held in Makhachkala with the participation of thedeputy director of the FSB, yet the terrorists succeeded in carrying out theirplans, raising questions about national security and the capability of specialservices to respond promptly to threats.

Thesituation in Dagestan has remained particularly tense since October 2023, whena crowd of protesters in Makhachkala tried to stop a flight from Tel Aviv. As aresult, 20 people were injured, including police officers, and the airport'soperations were suspended. Despite authorities' assurances of punishing theguilty, a week after the pogrom in Dagestan, it became clear that theparticipants in the mass riots would face relatively lenient penalties.Eighty-three people were detained, but only 15 were arrested on administrativecharges.

Amidthe Dagestani events, the situation escalated significantly, leading to apublic conflict between the head of the Investigative Committee, AlexanderBastrykin, and the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. Bastrykin called for anurgent ban on the wearing of niqabs in Russia and noted the need for new lawsto regulate the behavior of migrants. Kadyrov responded by emphasizing the needfor careful statements, stressing that Bastrykin confuses Islam with Islamism,and that Muslims, according to him, "have not committed and do notcommit" terrorist acts. Kadyrov was supported by the head of Dagestan, whocalled for the preservation of historical memory and traditional values.

Itis worth noting that Dagestan was one of the few regions in Russia wheremobilization faced mass resistance. In September 2022, protests againstmobilization took place in various parts of the republic. Residents opposedsending their children to the war initiated by Russia.

Massprotests in Dagestan, particularly in Makhachkala, show that the population isready to fight for their rights and resist central authority. This indicatesdeep dissatisfaction with Moscow's policies and the desire of the Caucasianpeoples to achieve independence.

Dagestan,the most ethnically diverse region of the Caucasus, represents a real puzzlefor Moscow. The region has many small ethnic groups, making centralizedgovernance difficult. In Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov managed to create a hierarchyof clans with Moscow's support, but even his position is unstable. In Dagestan,such a system does not exist, as a result of which internal conflicts oftenarise.

Localadministration cannot serve as moral authority as they depend on Moscow. Undersuch circumstances, the opposition becomes appealing, especially radical Islam,which unites a significant part of the dissatisfied population.

Allthis suggests that Russia has never managed to conquer the Caucasus. Thecomplex ethnic and political relations in the region make governance extremelychallenging. Protests against mobilization and the rise of radical Islamindicate Moscow's inability to effectively control the region. This means thatin the future, the Caucasus will eventually achieve independence, although itwill have to overcome many internal contradictions.

Moscow'scontrol over the Caucasus is tenuous and mainly achieved by pitting variousCaucasian peoples against each other. Russian imperialism is universallydespised there, and every time when Moscow's grip on power weakens, the peoplesof the Caucasus unite against the Russians, viewing them as the main culpritsof the problems in the region. Therefore, reconciliation and development in theregion are possible only with its acquisition of independence through thesystematic decolonization of Russia.

Theprospect of Caucasian independence is inevitable. Despite its rich culture andhistory, Dagestan feels like a colony and therefore actively resists centralauthority. The republic has always been a center of significant events in theCaucasus, and without its participation, any insurgent movements are doomed tofail. While some of the population may be swayed by financial rewards, thestruggle for liberation continues. Nations of Dagestan, know what freedom isand are confident that they can live well without Russia, as they did in thepast.

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