Photo: Oleg Petrasyuk / EPA
The Sheikh-Mansurovsky District Court of Grozny has recognized the “Chechen Republic of Ichkeria” (CRI) as a “terrorist organization.” The FSB Public Relations Center reported this.
According to the agency, the organization’s activities, as well as those of its 29 branches in 14 European countries, are now banned in Russia.
The FSB named Akhmed Zakayev as the head of the unrecognized Republic of Ichkeria. According to the security service, he led the operation to seize Grozny in 1996. In 2001, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office placed him on an international wanted list. In 2002, Zakayev emigrated to the United Kingdom, and in 2023 he was granted asylum there. In 2007, he was declared prime minister of Ichkeria in exile.
The FSB claims that CRI members are taking part in combat against Russia on Ukraine’s side. In addition, they were accused of sabotage and terrorist attacks in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, as well as of killing Russian military personnel and civilians.
“All persons involved in the activities of this terrorist organization and those assisting it will be identified and, in accordance with Russian law, brought to criminal responsibility, which предусматривает punishment in the form of imprisonment up to life,” the security service added.