Investigation discovered that there were four terrorists in all. They shot both caretakers and thoroughly bastinadoed two powerhouse hall operators to discover where vital devices were. Four explosions then damaged two generators out of three. One other explosive device was disarmed.

Secret services suspect Asker Japuyev a.k.a. emir Abdullah, leader of Kabardino-Balkarian gunmen who took over with the death of Anzor Estemirov in a special operation this March. "In fact, frequency of terrorist acts and attacks on police officers literally soared with Japuyev in command," said a source from Kabardino-Balkarian security structures. "All these efforts to destabilize the situation are their revenge for Astemirov's death."

The Baksansky Hydroelectric Power Plant became the first strategic object attacked by terrorists. Extremist ringleader Doku Umarov had declared a war on objects of infrastructure several months before the Sayano-Shushensky Hydroelectric Power Plant tragedy. Until now, however, no confirmed episodes of attacks against targets such as these were known. Official investigation of the Sayano-Shushensky disaster discovered no traces of terrorist involvement.

Marking the beginning of the war on strategic objects of infrastructure, the Baksansky terrorist act has nevertheless failed. It caused neither a panic nor power outages. In any event, it plainly shows that Kabardino-Balkaria is rapidly turning into another flash point in the Caucasus. Over a dozen diversions and terrorist acts took place in the republic in the last month.

President of Kabardino-Balkaria Arsen Kanokov attributed activation of terrorism in his republic to external influence. "First they disrupted stability in Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Chechnya. Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, and Adygeja are the next phase... All of that is financed by certain forces," he said. Kanokov called local gunmen "just executors".

Said Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative Alexander Khloponin, "These criminals have gone too far. Not even life-support objects are safe anymore." Khloponin advised the Cossacks to become voluntary law enforcers and promised them funding and help with red tape.

"Terrorist activeness in Kabardino-Balkaria keeps increasing due to the president' expiring term of office and growing popularity of the jihad ideas in the republic," said Caucasus Knot Editor Grigori Shvedov. "It was just like that in Dagestan too when the federal center took its time selecting a president for the republic."