On 13 October 2005, Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic, suffered the worst terrorist attack in the North Caucasus region since the Beslan school massacre in 2004. Gunmen carried out a series of coordinated attacks on the town’s military and public installations that claimed around the lives of 150 people, and injured over 100.
These attacks shook the community in this small capital of a region often considered more peaceful than its volatile neighbours. But they were not unexpected. High rates of unemployment, poverty and corruption in Kabardino-Balkaria, coupled with a crackdown on Islamic religious practice, caused friction between the community and the authorities. Following the Beslan school massacre in North Ossetia, which was carried out by Ingush and Chechen militants, local authorities stepped up their crackdown.
The official response was heavy-handed and disproportionate. The ensuing case has led to changes to the constitution of the Russian Federation. It has been the longest-running trial with the most defendants (57) in the history of modern Russia. A decade on, the never-ending spiral of violence and insecurity demonstrates that lessons have not been learned.
