Residents of Chechnya speak about law enforcers’ checks amid reports on explosion in Gudermes

After reports about an explosion in Gudermes appeared on social networks, armed law enforcers at checkpoints were stopping all cars and searching them, residents of Chechnya said.

On October 5, at least two persons, including a law enforcer, were killed in an explosion near a police checkpoint in Gudermes, sources reported. The information about the danger of explosive devices disguised as children’s toys was spread on WhatsApp*. The police denied the information about the explosion, the death of two persons, and disguised explosive devices. However, a message about the announced reward for information about the assassination attempt on a law enforcers was not explained.

Zarema, a resident of Grozny, says that on October 6, she together with her husband went to the village of Djalka to visit their sick relative, and they were traveling through Argun. “There were law enforcers at a checkpoint at the entrance to Argun, and, which was very surprising, they were armed with submachine guns. They didn’t stop our car, apparently because both my husband and I are very old people ... But they stopped other cars and checked car trunks,” Zarema said.

Not far from the village of Djalka, their car was stopped by law enforcers armed with submachine guns. They demanded from Zarema and her husband to open the car trunk, asking who they were going to and where their relative lived.

One of the users of the “Caucasian Knot” left a comment in which he drew attention to the inconsistency of the Chechen authorities in reporting what happened in Gudermes. “There was no explosion in Gudermes, but there was an assassination attempt on a law enforcer. No booby-trapped toys were found, but still, be careful. Whoever provides information about those involved in the assassination attempt on the policeman will receive 5 million roubles. The anonymity of informants is guaranteed,” the user wrote.

*On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning the Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.