The movement of batalhadzhintsy* is recognized as a terrorist organization.

The Supreme Court of Russia banned the movement of followers of Batal-haji Belkhoroev, recognizing it as a terrorist organization. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the batalhadzhintsy* are involved in terrorist acts in Ingushetia and beyond, including the attack on "Krokus City Hall."

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in February 2023, the FSB included the combat wing of the Ingush vird of batalhadzhintsy in the list of terrorist organizations.

Today, the Supreme Court of Russia announced that the movement of batalhadzhintsy has been recognized as a terrorist organization.

"The Supreme Court considered an administrative lawsuit to recognize the unregistered international organization "Community of Followers of Batal-Haji Belkhoroev – batalhadzhintsy" (other names used: "Belkhoroev Batal-Hyajiy t1ekhar toaba – batalhyajiy", "Vird of Followers of Batal-Haji Belkhoroev – batalhadzhintsy", "Batalhadzhintsy") as a terrorist organization and to ban its activities on the territory of the Russian Federation," the court's website states.

The court concluded that "the goals and actions of the organization are aimed at promoting, justifying, and supporting terrorism." Members of the community committed crimes provided for by the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on terrorism, aiding terrorism, promoting terrorism, organizing a terrorist community, and illegal armed formations and participation in a terrorist community and illegal armed formations.

"The highest judicial authority recognized the "Community of Followers of Batal-Haji Belkhoroev – batalhadzhintsy" as a terrorist organization and banned its activities in the Russian Federation. The decision is subject to immediate enforcement," the publication notes.

The decision was made at the request of the Prosecutor General

The organization of batalhadzhintsy was recognized as terrorist at the request of the Prosecutor General, the Prosecutor General's Office reported today on its website.

"It has been established that the batalhadzhintsy provided material support to the bandit underground of the North Caucasus. Followers of B. Belkhoroev carried out the bombing of the "Nevsky Express" train in the Tver region, participated in attacks by militants on law enforcement agencies and military units in Ingushetia. They armed the militants who participated in the attack on "Krokus City Hall." Batalhadzhintsy also carried out two terrorist acts against the head of the Central Internal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Republic of Ingushetia, I. Eldzharkiev, and assisted members of an organized group in the bombing of the head of the troops of radiation, chemical, and biological protection of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General I. Kirillov," the publication states.

More than 100 members of the vird have been convicted for illegal trafficking of "means of terror," the agency noted. "Leaders and members of the community organized illegal channels for the supply of firearms of foreign manufacture from abroad. Interregional organized criminal groups of batalhadzhintsy committed high-profile murders, robberies, theft of state property, and illegal trafficking of precious metals," the Prosecutor's Office stated.

In November 2019, the head of the Ingush Central Internal Affairs Directorate, Ibrahim Eldzharkiev, and his brother, a doctor at a Moscow hospital, Ahmed Eldzharkiev, were shot dead in Moscow. The attack on Ibrahim Eldzharkiev could have been carried out against the backdrop of his conflict with the batalhadzhintsy, sources suggested at the time. Alihan Belkharoev was detained in connection with the attack on Eldzharkiev, and Belkharoev's relatives considered his criminal prosecution as pressure on the batalhadzhintsy. The main facts about the murder and the conclusions of the investigation are collected in the report of the "Caucasian Knot" "Main about the murder of Ibrahim Eldzharkiev".

In November 2024, it became known about the involvement of batalhadzhintsy in the case of the terrorist act at the Moscow "Krokus City Hall" – Hussein Medov and Jabrail Aushev were arrested on charges of illegal trafficking of weapons and explosives.

In addition, in January 2025, a court in Moscow placed Batuhan Tochiev and Ramazan Padiev under arrest, accused in the case of the terrorist act, as a result of which Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant were killed on December 17, 2024. According to security officials, both natives of Ingushetia are members of the combat wing (recognized as a terrorist organization) of the vird of batalhadzhintsy and provided a rented apartment to a citizen of Uzbekistan, Ahmad Kurbanov, accused of murdering the general. Both Tochiev and Padiev pleaded not guilty.

Batalhadzhintsy lost influence after the murder of Eldzharkiev

The vird of batalhadzhintsy is trying to improve its image under the close attention of security officials, and it is unlikely that its representatives would dare to participate in the high-profile murder of General Kirillov, analysts pointed out at the time.

They tried to get on the right path, so to speak

"Once, the batalhadzhintsy held influential positions in the republic, but after the murder of the head of the Center "E" Ibrahim Eldzharkiev, their influence sharply diminished. Now their community is in a difficult situation," said journalist Isabella Evloyeva, in particular.

"They are not active, they have no influence. They even tried to wash their hands by creating a group to participate in the SVO. They tried to get on the right path, so to speak, to avoid further persecution," confirmed an Ingush public figure.

The vird is known for its connections with Ramzan Kadyrov

Batalhadzhintsy is a "small but very cohesive vird, also close to Ramzan Kadyrov", said Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, director of the North Caucasus project of the International Crisis Group, earlier to the "Caucasian Knot". According to her, batalhadzhintsy is a "vird that is very active economically and in lobbying its interests".

In November 2022, Ramzan Kadyrov defended the Belkhoroev family, several members of which were arrested after searches in Ingushetia. He stated that the term "batalhadzhintsy terrorist society" is "absolutely impossible and absurd", and the Belkhoroevs will always be his close brothers.

On December 12 of the same year, it became known that the batalhadzhintsy formed units to participate in the military operation in Ukraine in exchange for Ramzan Kadyrov's support. The batalhadzhintsy rapid response unit (BOBR) became part of the special forces "Ahmat" and is participating in the military operation, confirmed the head of Chechnya. The formation of such units is beneficial for batalhadzhintsy, who attracted close attention from security officials, analysts noted at the time.

* recognized as a terrorist organization, whose activities are banned in Russia.

** the activities of the Meta company (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.