[KavkazUzel] There are many unclear points in the story of the demolition of the mosque in Leninaul, but the decision to demolish it was hasty and provoked interethnic tensions, commentators pointed out, drawing attention to the lack of reaction to the statement of the Chechen Accidents by the Chechen authorities.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot", in Leninaul, Kazbekovsky District, Dagestan, despite agreements with the authorities, a Chechen mosque built in the 19th century was demolished, village residents stated in a video message. The plot of land in Leninaul, where, according to representatives of the Chechen community, the 19th century mosque was located, was sold at auction to a representative of the Avar community, who transferred it for the construction of a mosque. The authorities did not find any documents in the archives indicating that this plot belonged to the Chechens, the administration of the Kazbekovsky District stated.
The position of the Kazbekovsky District authorities regarding the mosque was commented on by a reader of the "Caucasian Knot" with the nickname williams.
"Pointing out that no evidence has been found in the archives that this land belonged to the Chechens, as well as the fact that "15 years ago there was a store there" and so on, is simply an attempt to present the Chechens in a negative light. Both the Chechens and the Dagestanis and the Ingush and all the other peoples of the Caucasus know very well who owned, owns and should own what land. After the deportation of the Chechens in 1944, all the Chechen lands were populated by neighbors and people brought from the Russian hinterland. Moreover, after the return of the Chechens in 1957 and subsequent years from Kazakhstan, many refused to return their homes to them," he wrote.
It seems that this decision was purely political.
"If this mosque was built in the 19th century, then it is at least a historical site. Moreover, according to Islam, demolition of mosques is prohibited. It turns out that from both a moral-ethical and religious point of view, this decision was wrong. We should know how the local authorities explain their decision? Why was it not restored, but demolished? It seems that this decision was purely political," added a reader with the nickname nicole.johnson.
The indifference of the Chechen authorities regarding this situation is also surprising.
Another reader wondered whether the local authorities had deliberately misled the villagers.
"The indifference of the Chechen authorities regarding this situation is also surprising. Kadyrov allocated funds for the reconstruction of ancient mosques in Syria or the construction of new ones in various regions of Russia and beyond (even in Israel), but for some reason he did not find the time or the funds to resolve the issue with the ancient mosque in neighboring Dagestan. The Kremlin ordered not to interfere?" asked dennis_toy.
"The demolition of the mosque in Aktash-Aukh, built by the ancestors of the Chechens who lived there, looks more like a provocation," said mason.franecki.
"Chechens lived on these lands, but this is all the territory of Dagestan," a user with the nickname Telegram emphasized in the Telegram channel of the "Caucasian Knot."
A video was also published online in which a man who introduced himself as the former imam of the village of Leninaul (from 2012 to 2016) ( he gave his name illegibly, - note from the "Caucasian Knot" ) said that at the request of the Akkinskaya community, the head of the village transferred to them a mosque located next to school No. 2 for use in accordance with the purposes of the activities of religious bodies.
Another mosque, on Gubakhanova Street, was transferred to the Avar community. "The decree clearly describes the purpose of transferring the mosque. But, unfortunately, these two mosques remain closed to visitors. Whereas next to Leninaulskaya Secondary School No. 2 there is an urgent need for a neighborhood mosque," he said in the video, which was published by the Telegram channel "Shtab Dagestan".
Until recently, no one even hinted that the building demolished on 05/07/2025 was a mosque.
According to him, "until recently, no one even hinted that the building demolished on May 7, 2025 was a mosque."
"This building was a store. Around 2020, a village resident bought the plot along with the building, and the store was converted into a prayer room. A mihrab and a small room for ablution were added. Due to the fact that the prayer room was not enough for the parishioners, after agreeing with the legal owner of the site, a decision was made to build a mosque and madrasah on this site and demolish the old building. It was decided to demolish the building on May 7, since asphalt was planned to be laid in front of the administrative center and in front of the new mosque on May 8. The new mosque is not Avar or Chechen, it is the house of Allah," he said in the video.
He also called on the Accident brothers "not to mislead people by distributing videos with false information, thereby raising provocative issues."
In the Telegram channel of Tumso Abdurakhmanov*, the message about the demolition of the mosque had garnered 613 comments by 21:21 Moscow time.
"It is first and foremost Muslim, and only then Chechen. Who would dare to demolish it? We need to find out the truth, maybe it was already dilapidated?" - wrote Jamal.
"Divide and rule. The elite divides the lands so that the inhabitants are in eternal feud," Bratishka wrote.
Most of the comments left by users concern the relationship between the village residents, as well as Dagestan and Chechnya, and contain harsh assessments of the situation in Leninaul.
"I appeal to the Dagestanis. Make a video message to the authorities and say that you do not want enmity between brothers," Freedom suggested.Â
The Aukhovsky district, where the Chechens-Akkintsy lived compactly, was liquidated in 1944 after Stalin's deportation of the Chechens and Ingush. In the northwestern part of the district's territory, the Novolaksky District was formed, this part was populated by Laks from the mountainous part of Dagestan, and the southeastern part of the district was transferred to the neighboring Kazbekovsky District together with the villages of Yurt-Aukh and Aktash-Aukh and populated by Avars from the neighboring village. Thirteen years later, in 1957, the Akkin Chechens, like the rest of the deported Vainakh peoples, were allowed to return to their historical homeland.
Let us recall that the restoration of the Aukhovsky district, which was planned to be completed by 2025, has actually been stopped for many years, the resettlement of the Laks and the construction of new houses have been disrupted, Dagestani activists state.