A force, reportedly around 300-400 strong, is fighting in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya in Russia’s North Caucasus region. The militants seized the Grozny Press House media facility and laid siege to a school, prompting a military response from Russian authorities. Russian President Vladimir Putin was transported to the Kremlin in the middle of the night by motorcade, and Moscow airspace has been closed to civilian traffic, reportedly.
“There have been casualties among law enforcement personnel there,” reported the Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC).
Reportedly, five police officers were killed when the militants stormed the building at around 1:00 a.m. local time. The militants arrived in three cars and attacked the police guard, then entered the building on the corner of Lorsanov and Mayakovsky.
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The Ministry of the Interior in Chechnya reported that there were five or six members of armed illegal groups in the building.
The Chechen fighters also laid siege to a school.
A Russian anti-terrorist operation has been launched, and authorities in the region are fighting the rebel insurgents.
“At the direction of the head of the operations headquarters of the NAC in Grozny, a counter-terrorist operation has been initiated,” read an NAC statement.
Russian media is reporting burning cars and firefights in the streets.
Russian tanks, troops and armored troop vehicles have surrounded locations where the fighting is taking place. Gunfire continues. The counter-terrorist operation includes increased public protection measures, checking of all documents in designated areas and communication with police and other competent authorities for identity verification. Vehicles in the affected area will be towed, and cellular phone communication may be blocked.
Airspace over Moscow has been closed to all civilian traffic, reportedly.
Several sources on Twitter are reporting that Putin’s motorcade was seen travelling to the Kremlin in the middle of the night, with helicopters flying around the building.
The attacks come just hours before Putin was scheduled to deliver a speech before the Russian Federation Council. The speech has been much anticipated, as the last such speech made to Russia’s upper house followed shortly after Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
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Some of the videos posted of the fighting claim that the assault is being led by the Mujahideen of the Caucasus Emirate, Amir Khamzat, a close associate of the late Dokku Umarov, the former leader of the Emirate who was killed by Russia in Sept. 2013.
Chechen rebellion against Russia dates back centuries. The First Chechen War began in 1991, and the Second Chechen War continued the conflict after a five year intermission from 1994 to 1999. During the Second Chechen War, Grozny was almost completely destroyed by Russia before Chechnya was put under direct control of Moscow. Since that time, low-level insurgency has continued, first under Shamil Basayev, then under Umarov and now under Khamzat.
See ongoing updates: Grozny updates
Chechnya is the buffer Russia is using so regardless if it is ISIS or just extremists it is sad to say these attacks may keep happening because it’s doubtful that Russia will give Chechnya independence.
Russia invaded Ukraine and that’s what they deserve now.
Aaah, new strategy by the globalists. None of their false flag fighting either here in Ferguson, nor in Iraq/Syria with the ISIS mercenary company hired by someone and it wasn’t the Russians, or the Chinese, so now they have decided to use the same tactics in Russia, only they have a ready made rebellion group to divide them, where we do not. We are united, so it did not work here to get that rebellion they need to start WW III.
Lets see what Obama does now since its overseas. I bet he comes out and wants to save the Chechens. So we are back to the Ukraine again. Putin is in on it.
Putin is king
Obama is black