Dmitry Medvedev: A terrorist attack took place in Ingushetia today against the Republic’s President, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. This is the work of bandits, of course. First of all, I want to hear a more detailed report from you on what happened and what the situation is now, and then we will look at the next steps to take to strengthen law and order and bring the situation under control.
FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov: Mr President, this morning at 8.30 a.m., the President of Ingushetia was on his way to work when his convoy came under a bandit attack, as a result of which the President was wounded. He is now in the Nazran Central Clinical Hospital in a moderately grave condition.
After Mr Yevkurov took office as President, efforts to counter gangsters and banditry in the Republic intensified. A large number of successful special operations have been carried out recently, including operations involving the local law enforcement agencies.
Following the instructions you gave after the meeting in Makhachkala, the Ingushetia and Chechnya police forces have stepped up their work together, carrying out joint special operations and practically driving the bandits into difficult to access areas of the two republics. Of course, the bandits are trying to fight back and take their revenge.
Today’s attack is most likely an attempt to influence and destabilise the situation. The bandits have made repeated threats against Mr Yevkurov, and so I think that this act is part of their attempts to fight back.
Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev: The situation in the Republic is certainly difficult. We are aware of this and have therefore reinforced our temporary operational group there.
This group is working with the National Anti-Terrorism Committee on carrying out the missions set. An investigation and operational group has just been set up now in response to today’s attack. We are now in the process of organising a plane to fly staff from the [Interior Ministry] central office and people from the Federal Security Service to Ingushetia to work on the investigation.
Dmitry Medvedev: What happened shows, of course, that the situation is still difficult there. We recently held a special meeting on this subject in Makhachkala. I visited Ingushetia then and spoke with the president.
It is true that the President of Ingushetia has done a lot of late to strengthen law and order and build up civil peace in the republic.
Of course the bandits do not welcome these efforts, and what has happened is their response to the Ingushetia authorities’ work and greater activity in these areas. There can be no letting up in this situation. Instruct all of the Interior Ministry and FSB offices to keep control of the situation.
I am sending a plenipotentiary envoy there in order to ensure a greater federal presence for this initial period at least. We need to continue the work that has begun and continue all of the measures that have been implemented of late to bring law and order to the republic and to the Caucasus in general.
We will discuss this in greater detail later today with our other colleagues.
I instruct you to keep control of the situation, carry out an investigation and report regularly.