On Monday morning, Ansar Tebuyev was attacked by a group of unidentified assailants armed with Kalashnikov rifles. Other details on the incident have not been released yet. An operation is underway to find the attackers.

54-year Ansar Tebuyev was a close associate of Karachaevo-Cherkessian President Mustafa Badtyev. In the republican government, he was responsible for law-enforcement issues. Before his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Tebuyev was Senior Deputy Interior Minister of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, and before that he was chief of the local police.

This was not the first attack on the Deputy Prime Minister. In August, Mr. Tebuyev was attacked and wounded in the head. Reports said it was a warning.

Meanwhile, an extraordinary meeting of the Karachaevo-Cherkessian government is scheduled for Tuesday, where the high crime rate in the republic will be discussed.