Islamic rebels strike in Grozny, killing 16 people. Reuters

The burnt out exterior of the Press House, a local media outlet in Grozny. Reuters 

Chechen Islamic rebels got into a shootout with police in Grozny killing at least 16 people and wounding at least 28. -Reuters. The attack comes shortly after Vladimir Putin vowed that external enemies are trying to dismember Russia. Six of the terrorists were "annihilated" according to Chechnya's leader, Ramzam Kadyrov. Checnya has had a long simmering Islamic insurgency, which seeks independence from Russia. Several gunmen may still be holed up in a school, though these reports are unverified. A video appeared on Youtube blaming the attack on alleged Russian oppression of women. 

My Comment:

The above video is footage from the battle. It's from RT, which isn't the most reliable source, but the footage looks legitimate enough. The fighters were well armed and were using rockets and armor to attack the militants. I didn't really see all that much incoming fire, but the footage was still impressive. Take a second to watch the video if you haven't already. 

As far as the attack, it isn't all that surprising. Chechnya has long been a hub of Islamic insurgency. It is no surprise that many of the foreign fighters for ISIS and Al-Qaeda are from Chechnya since the insurgency there has lasted a decade and made plenty of veterans to recruit. As for their claims of oppression, I have no idea how legitimate they are. I do know that wars have consequences and the Chechnya rebels lost theirs. Given some of their actions, perhaps some oppression is deserved. 

As for Russia and Vladimir Putin, this attack comes at a very inconvenient time. Russia is of course committed militarily to the Ukraine conflict. Many troops are in the area, some of them in active combat. That makes this flair up fairly dangerous if it continues because Russia might be stretched thin. Their economy has taken a major hit lately. The EU and American sanctions have had a small impact, but the collapse of oil prices has hurt their bottom line. When you are running in the red the last thing you need is a second pricey military conflict to crop up. Either way though, Russia's enemies are benefiting.