Russia opens terror probe after attacks on synagogues, Orthodox churches; priest and police officers killed
FOX NewsJun 22
Synagogue, Church Attacks in Russia's Dagestan Leave 20 Dead
Image copyright: Sergei Melikov [via Telegram]
The Facts
Russian officials said Monday that the death toll from apparently coordinated attacks on synagogues and Orthodox churches the previous evening in the Muslim-majority Dagestan region rose to 20.
Those killed in the assaults in the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent included 15 police officers and Orthodox priest Father Nikolai Kotelnikov, with at least 46 others injured.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
As Moscow puts all its resources toward invading Ukraine, it's left its domestic security at risk. While the Kremlin may try to blame this attack on Ukraine, all it's really doing is exposing its fracturing society and the limits to its governing power. Russia should prioritize the safety of its people instead of invading foreign countries.
Establishment-critical narrative
It wouldn't be surprising if US and NATO-backed forces had a small degree of separation from these attacks in Dagestan. Dating back to the Chechen wars, agencies like the CIA have sought to divide the Muslim and non-Muslim sections of Russia to destabilize the country. This attack could be a revival of that decades-old tactic.