September 1 in Russia: From Beslan Tragedy to Drone Strikes and War Support
September 1 marks a significant date in Russia, evoking both solemn remembrance and contemporary geopolitical tensions. On this day in 2004, the Beslan school siege began, a horrific terrorist attack that lasted three days and resulted in the deaths of over 330 people, including 186 children. The crisis unfolded when a group of militants, led by Ruslan Khuchbarov and coordinated by Shamil Basayev, seized a school in North Ossetia. The Russian government’s response, including the use of tanks and heavy weaponry, has been widely criticized. The siege ended with a chaotic and bloody climax, leaving a lasting scar on the nation’s psyche. Key figures involved included Vladimir Khodov, identified by fingerprint examination, and Ali Taziev, who maintained contact with terrorists but left the school the day before the attack. The motives and demands of the attackers remain a subject of debate, but the event is remembered as one of the deadliest school hostage crises in history.nnTwo decades later, September 1, 2024, presents a starkly different yet equally tense scenario. Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted the largest series of drone strikes against targets within Russia on the night of August 31 to September 1. These strikes hit various locations, including a gas distribution network in Tver Oblast, causing fires and disruptions. This escalation reflects the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has seen Ukraine increasingly target Russian infrastructure in response to Russia’s invasion. The strikes underscore the evolving nature of warfare and the vulnerability of Russian territory to modern drone technology.nnAmidst these military actions, recent Russian domestic polls indicate that Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast has not yet eroded Russian public support for the war in Ukraine. Support for the war has remained consistently high since 2022, despite the challenges and costs. This resilience in public opinion may be attributed to state-controlled media narratives, patriotic sentiment, and a perception of the conflict as a defensive struggle against Western aggression. The polls suggest that, at least in the short term, the Kursk incursion has not significantly shifted public sentiment, a factor that could influence Russia’s strategic calculations.nnAdditionally, September 1 is also a time of political maneuvering in the region. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s acknowledgment in February 2024
Shimanta Das 
