The Separatist Wars In Russia

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Separatist Passions Heating Up in Russia's North Caucasus
-- Deutsche-Welle

While Georgia's separatist enclaves Abkhazia and South Ossetia celebrate formal recognition of their independence by Russia, hardly a day goes by without bloodshed in North Caucasus regions Ingushetia and Dagestan.

Since the murder of Ingush opposition journalist Magomed Yevloyev in August, calls to break away from Russia have grown louder in Ingushetia. Russian media report that even in hitherto tranquil Russian regions such as Tatarstan and Bashkiria, Muslim separatists have become more independence-minded of late.

For years, Russia's leaders have sought to quell separatist tendencies by what they describe as "isolated extremists." The lengths to which the Kremlin is prepared to go is best illustrated by restive Chechnya, battered into submission by two wars since 1994.

A declaration addressed to the Council of Europe by Russian human rights activists said that "the situation in the North Caucasus republics has became greatly more agitated since the war between Russia and Georgia in the South Caucasus."

Lyudmila Alekseyeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, and the document's other signatories are warning of a further escalation.

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My Comment: We tend to view Russia as one big happy family .... but it is not. It is made up of many different ethnic and religious groups, many of which are hostile to Russia. Expect more separatist violence and attacks in the future.