News

Another member of Shamil Basayev's gang arrested

The Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation over North Caucasian Federal District continues the investigation into the criminal case concerning the 1999 incursion by illegal armed groups under the general leadership of Shamil Basayev and Emir Khattab into the Botlikhsky district of the Republic of Dagestan, and the attacks on the lives of Russian law enforcement and military officers committed during that incursion. 

In the course of the investigation, evidence of the involvement of Bagaudin Kuvanayev, a resident of the Stavropol Territory, in the commission of these crimes was obtained with the assistance of officers of the Federal Security Service and the Interior Ministry of Russia. He is suspected of committing offences under Article 279 and Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Russia (armed rebellion, encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer or military officer).

It was established that in mid-July 1999 this person voluntarily joined a gang under the general leadership of Shamil Basayev and Emir Khattab, and took an active part in committing of grave and especially grave offenses. Between 7 August 1999 and 24 August 1999, armed with automatic weapons, grenades and explosive devices, militants acting as part of a cohesive armed group led by Basayev and Khattab with a total number of at least 1,000 men took an active part in an armed insurgency to overthrow the constitutional order and violate the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and infringed the lives of military officers of the Russian armed forces, who were ensuring public security and administering the constitution.

33 people were killed and 34 civilians were injured to varying degrees of severity as a result of the aimed mass fire. The court remanded Kuvanayev in custody at the request of the investigation.

The investigation is conducting investigations and other procedural measures aimed at establishing his role and actions in the armed group. He will be charged in the coming days.

The criminal investigation is ongoing; investigation is taking active measures to identify other gang participants involved in the attack.

Between 1999 and 2020, more than 80 participants in the attack on the Botlikhsky and Tsumadinsky districts of Dagestan were convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from 3 to 19 years' imprisonment for committing these crimes. Investigations into seven operatives including Basaev had been closed due to their death. Another 28 people are still on the wanted list.