Nazran
Encyclopedia
Nazran is a town
in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia
. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas
was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic:
population moving into it. It was granted town status in 1967.
During the Soviet
period, Nazran was the administrative center of a district
within the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
. After Ingushetia was separated from Chechnya
in 1991, the town became the Republic's capital. This brought about a sharp increase in population: while counting 18,246 inhabitants according to the 1989 Census
, during the 2002 Census
Nazran had as many as 125,056 inhabitants.
Nazran continues to be the center of Nazranovsky District
, while itself being administratively incorporated as a separate town of republic significance
.
Nazran is located on the M29 federal highway
and has a railway station on the Rostov
- Baku
line.
and ethnic Ingush rebels carried out a large-scale raid on Ingushetia, led by Shamil Basayev
. The overnight attacks targeted fifteen official buildings in Nazran, and at least three towns and villages located on the Baku-Rostov highway that crosses the republic from east to west.
The raid lasted nearly five hours, and the assailants - said to number 200 to 300 - withdrew almost unscathed; the raiders apparently lost only two men during the attacks. The rebels killed 67 members of security forces, including the republic's Interior Minister Abukar Kostoyev, his deputy Zyaudin Kotiev, top prosecutors, and other officials; they also captured and looted the MVD's armory and police depots. 25 civilians, including a local United Nations
worker, were killed in the crossfire.
Federal Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev met with General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, the commander of Russia's Interior Ministry forces, and blamed them for the high number of deaths. Tikhomirov decided to resign after the meeting.
Types of settlements in Russia
The classification system of the types of inhabited localities in Russia, the former Soviet Union, and some other post-Soviet states has certain peculiarities compared to the classification systems in other countries.-Modern classification in Russia:...
in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas
Magas
Magas is the capital of the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. The town was founded in 1995; it replaced Nazran as the capital of the republic in 2002. In terms of population, Magas is the smallest capital of a federal subject in Russia: -History:...
was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic:
General
Nazran was founded in the 18th century. After becoming a military fortress in 1817, Nazran saw large numbers of IngushIngush
Ingush may refer to:* The Ingush language* The Ingush people, an ethnic group of the North Caucasus...
population moving into it. It was granted town status in 1967.
During the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
period, Nazran was the administrative center of a district
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
within the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
The Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, or Chechen–Ingush ASSR ;) was an autonomous republic within the Russian SFSR...
. After Ingushetia was separated from Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
in 1991, the town became the Republic's capital. This brought about a sharp increase in population: while counting 18,246 inhabitants according to the 1989 Census
Soviet Census (1989)
The 1989 Soviet census, conducted between January 12-19 of that year, was the last one conducted in the former USSR. It resulted in a total population of 286,730,819 inhabitants...
, during the 2002 Census
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
Nazran had as many as 125,056 inhabitants.
Nazran continues to be the center of Nazranovsky District
Nazranovsky District
Nazranovsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the four in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. Its administrative center is the town of Nazran . District's population: 85,021 ;...
, while itself being administratively incorporated as a separate town of republic significance
City of federal subject significance
City of federal subject significance is an umbrella term used to refer to a type of an administrative division of a federal subject of Russia which is equal in status to a district but is organized around a large city; occasionally with surrounding rural territories.According to the 1993...
.
Nazran is located on the M29 federal highway
M29 highway (Russia)
The Russian route M29, also known as the Caucasus Highway, is a trunk road that extends from Krasnodar to Chechnya and Dagestan, terminating at Russia's border with Azerbaijan. Its length is 1118 km....
and has a railway station on the Rostov
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
- Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
line.
2004 rebel raid on Nazran
In 2004, a force of ChechenChechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
and ethnic Ingush rebels carried out a large-scale raid on Ingushetia, led by Shamil Basayev
Shamil Basayev
Shamil Salmanovich Basayev was a Chechen militant Islamist and a leader of the Chechen rebel movement.Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against the Russian troops for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings of civilians, with his goal...
. The overnight attacks targeted fifteen official buildings in Nazran, and at least three towns and villages located on the Baku-Rostov highway that crosses the republic from east to west.
The raid lasted nearly five hours, and the assailants - said to number 200 to 300 - withdrew almost unscathed; the raiders apparently lost only two men during the attacks. The rebels killed 67 members of security forces, including the republic's Interior Minister Abukar Kostoyev, his deputy Zyaudin Kotiev, top prosecutors, and other officials; they also captured and looted the MVD's armory and police depots. 25 civilians, including a local United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
worker, were killed in the crossfire.
Federal Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev met with General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, the commander of Russia's Interior Ministry forces, and blamed them for the high number of deaths. Tikhomirov decided to resign after the meeting.