Daghestani village deputy challenges district head to a fight

Khubar village deputy Rashid Isakov has publicly challenged the head of Daghestan’s Kazbekovsky district, Gadzhimurad Musaev, to a fight, suggesting they meet on the wrestling mat or in the boxing ring after the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The conflict between Isakov and Musaev began last September when Musaev presented a master plan for the development of Khubar that displeased local residents.

Isakov, together with Khubar residents, began to protest against the plan, and as a result, in a telephone conversation with Isakov, Musaev allegedly cursed at Isakov. A recording of the conversation was then distributed across social media.

In response to the insults, Isakov wrote a letter to Musaev demanding that he accept the challenge to a fight, suggesting the bout be held in the gym of the Musa Azaev children’s and youth school in the village of Dylym in the Kazbekovsky district.

‘If you don’t accept [the challenge], I reserve the right to punch you in the face for your personal insults towards me wherever I meet you, including in the administration building of Kazbekovsky district’, the official letter to Musaev read.

In comments to OC Media, Isakov confirmed the authenticity of the letter, saying that he had already received a notification the letter had been delivered to Musaev.

Isakov also said he had ‘already received a phone call’ on Musaev's behalf, but he did not want to go into any further details.

Isakov actively opposes the adoption of Musaev’s proposed amendments to the municipality's planning document, which, according to him, ‘only harm the residents of Khubar village’. According to Isakov, the amendments involve transferring 236 hectares of rural land to a newly created village in Sulak Canyon.

‘These are our arable lands, our hayfields. People keep cattle and small horned cattle, and these lands provide them with fodder. We grow potatoes, cabbage, [and] beans there. These lands feed us. We cultivate them’, Isakov told OC Media.

Isakov, who is from the ruling United Russia party, noted that all 11 Khubar deputies have a unified position, despite the fact that they represent different factions.

Khubar residents are also displeased with the leasing of 1,138 hectares of agricultural land to Khubar LLC, a company reportedly owned by Musaev’s administration, despite the August decision of village assembly deputies to return the land to the village.

Due to the land conflict, the school in Khubar village went on strike last autumn — the teachers agreed to end the strike only after Daghestani Prime Minister Abdulmuslim Abdulmuslimov visited the school and announced the reinstatement of Magomedrasul Isakov, the former director of the school.

Abdulmuslimov was dismissed amid a conflict with Musaev — also over disagreement with the land transfer. The head of the Kazbekovsky district was not present at this meeting.

At the time of publication, Musaev had not responded to OС Media’s questions.

The head of Daghestan, Sergei Melikov, commented on the situation, noting that although Musaev’s behaviour in the telephone conversation did not make him look good, he understood the level of tension associated with defending a legitimate decision. Melikov also condemned the practice of recording and leaking private conversations, calling it contrary to notions of courage and honour.

Land conflicts are a common occurrence in other parts of Daghestan. For example, in 2024 in the village of Leninaul there were clashes between Avars and Chechens over land issues.

Village residents in Daghestan prepare rally in Moscow against school director’s dismissal

Residents of the Daghestani village of Khubar allege that the school director was fired over a land dispute.

OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova