Nazran (Russian: Назра́нь; Ingush: Наьсаре, romanized: Näsare) is the largest city in Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital from 1991 to 2000, until it was replaced by Magas, which was built for this purpose. It is the most populous city in the republic, with a population of 122,350 in the 2021 census.
Etymology
The name of the town, possibly, derives from the name of the legendary first settler Nyasar (Ingush: Наьсар, also referred as Närt-Näsar Ingush: Наьрт-Наьсар, lit. 'Hero Näsar').
The town is associated by Leonid Lavrov with the Arabic word "al nasaraa" (النصارى), meaning "Christian", because supposedly Christianity held on for longer in Nazran than in other neighboring places in Ingushetia. Lavrov said that Muslims were already present here in 1405–1406. Vladimir Markovin also stated that the name of Nazran has an Arabic origin while quoting Lavrov.
History
18th–20th centuries
The aul of Nazran was founded in the late 18th century. According to accounts recorded by researchers in the 19th and 20th centuries, the establishment of Nazran is traditionally attributed to Kartskhal Malsagov, an Ingush elder (starshina) and political leader of the Targimkhoy clan. Drawing on Ingush oral tradition, these accounts relate that, in the mid-18th century, Kartskhal led ten families of his clan, together with members of other families, from Angusht to the banks of the Nazranka and Sunzha rivers, where they established a settlement on the site of present-day Nazran.
The official date of the founding of Nazran is considered 1781. This is based on the report of L. Shteder, who during his expedition to Caucasus in 1781, noticed Ingush outposts on the river of Nazranka.
A Russian military fortress was founded in Nazran in 1817. In 1858, Nazran became the center of a major uprising by the Ingush people against the Russian Empire during the Caucasian War. The revolt was sparked by Russian policies aimed at forcibly consolidating small Ingush settlements into larger villages, along with restrictions on local customs and the confiscation of Ingush lands. In May, thousands of Ingush rebels attempted to capture the Nazran Fortress but were repelled by Imperial troops. By August 1858, the uprising had been suppressed, and many of its leaders were executed or exiled.
Nazran was granted town status in 1967.
During the Russian Empire, the settlement was the administrative capital of the Nazranovsky Okrug of the Terek Oblast. During the Soviet period, Nazran was the administrative center of Nazranovsky District within the Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. After the Republic of Ingushetia and the Chechen Republic were separated in 1991, the town became the republic's capital. This brought about a sharp increase in population: while counting 18,246 inhabitants according to the 1989 Census, during the 2002 Census Nazran had as many as 125,056 inhabitants.
21st century
2004 rebel raid on Nazran
In 2004, a group of Chechen and Ingush militants carried out a large-scale raid on Ingushetia, led by Shamil Basayev. The overnight attacks targeted fifteen official buildings in Nazran, and at least three towns and villages located on the Baku-Rostov highway that crosses the republic from east to west.
The raid lasted nearly five hours, and the assailants – said to number 200 to 300 – withdrew almost unscathed; the raiders apparently lost only two men during the attacks. The rebels killed 67 members of security forces, including the republic's Interior Minister Abukar Kostoyev, his deputy Zyaudin Kotiev, top prosecutors, and other officials; they also captured and looted the MVD's armory and police depots. 25 civilians, including a local United Nations worker, were killed in the crossfire.
Federal Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev met with General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, the commander of Russia's Interior Ministry forces, and blamed them for the high number of deaths. Tikhomirov decided to resign after the meeting.
2008 protests
Widespread protests erupted in January 2008, with a strong government response. The disturbances appear to have been fueled by heavy-handed government and para-military activity, including abductions, arrests and murders. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Zyazikov.
2009 bombing
In August 2009, a suicide bomber drove a truck filled with explosives into the Nazran police headquarters. Russian news agencies reported that 25 were killed in the attack, and roughly 140 were wounded. It is believed that more bodies may still be in the rubble, yet to be found. The police headquarters was completely destroyed in the attack, including up to 30 police vehicles and munition stores.
Geography
Location
Nazran is located in the western area of Ingushetia, at the borders with Prigorodny Raion of North Ossetia-Alania. It also borders the raion of Nazranovsky; and the nearest settlements are Ekazhevo, the new town of Magas, and Barsuki. It is 27 km from the North Ossetian-Alanian capital city, Vladikavkaz, 19 from Karabulak and 54 from Malgobek.
Administrative and municipal status
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Nazran serves as the administrative center of Nazranovsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the city of republic significance of Nazran—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the city of republic significance of Nazran is incorporated as Nazran Urban Okrug.
Climate
Nazran has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb).
Transportation
Nazran is located on the M29 federal highway and has a railway station on the Rostov-on-Don–Baku line. Magas Airport serves the city and the near town of Magas.
Sport
FC Angusht Nazran is the city's association football club. Its home ground is the Rashid Aushev Central Stadium.
Twin cities
Documents
- Народное Собрание Республики Ингушетия. Закон №5-РЗ от 23 февраля 2009 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Республики Ингушетия и наделении их статусом сельского поселения, муниципального района и городского округа», в ред. Закона №9-РЗ от 4 марта 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон Республики Ингушетия "Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Республики Ингушетия и наделении их статусом сельского поселения, муниципального района и городского округа"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Ингушетия", №26–27, 3 марта 2009 г. (People's Assembly of the Republic of Ingushetia. Law #5-RZ of February 23, 2009 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of the Republic of Ingushetia and on Granting Them the Status of a Rural Settlement, Municipal District, and Urban Okrug, as amended by the Law #9-RZ of March 4, 2014 On Amending the Law of the Republic of Ingushetia "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of the Republic of Ingushetia and on Granting Them the Status of a Rural Settlement, Municipal District, and Urban Okrug". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).