Moscow - Attacks on police posts, churches, and a synagogue in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan resulted in the deaths of 19 people and five gunmen. The Sunday evening assault also left at least 16 individuals injured and hospitalized. Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim region neighboring Chechnya, has declared three days of mourning in response to the violence.

The coordinated attacks occurred on the Orthodox festival of Pentecost in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala. Among the victims was Orthodox priest Father Nikolai Kotelnikov, who had served in Derbent for over 40 years, as identified by Dagestan's head, Sergei Melikov.

In Derbent, gunmen targeted a church and a synagogue, home to an ancient Jewish community. In Makhachkala, a church and a police post near a synagogue were attacked. Social media footage showed individuals in dark clothing firing at police vehicles in Makhachkala, with emergency services arriving shortly afterward.

While Islamist attacks have occurred in Dagestan previously, the assailants in these incidents have not been officially identified. However, Russian media reported that two of the gunmen were sons of Magomed Omarov, head of the Sergokala district, who has been detained by police.

In a video on Telegram, Mr. Melikov suggested Ukrainian involvement in the attacks, linking Dagestan's violence to Russia's conflict in Ukraine. He claimed, "The war is coming to our homes," and indicated that foreign assistance was involved in preparing the attacks.

Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian State Duma's international affairs committee, echoed these claims, connecting the Dagestan attacks to a missile strike in Sevastopol, suggesting they were coordinated efforts to incite panic and division within Russia. Conversely, Dmitry Rogozin, a Russian nationalist in occupied Ukraine, cautioned against attributing every attack to Ukrainian and NATO influences, warning of potential misjudgments.

Following the attacks, President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to the victims' families. The counter-terrorism operation initiated after the assaults has now concluded, according to Russian news agencies.

Historically, Dagestan and neighboring regions have faced jihadist violence from groups like the Caucasus Emirate. Despite President Putin's previous assertions of Russia's immunity to terrorist attacks due to its interfaith harmony, the country continues to grapple with threats, including a recent thwarted IS plot targeting a Moscow synagogue.