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Duma deputy likens Kiev regime to terrorist organizations in Caucasus in late 1990s

Russian State Duma deputy Adalbi Shkhagoshev has drawn a parallel between the Kiev regime and terrorist groups that operated in the Caucasus in the late 1990s, calling the current Ukrainian government a 'tool of the West.' Meanwhile, another lawmaker commented on Ukraine's new foreign intelligence chief, suggesting the appointment is a 'desperate attempt' to win support from Islamic countries.

By Tertius News AI Desk 1 outlet · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage Aug 3–7, 2026 Published Aug 14

Lead

Russian State Duma deputy Adalbi Shkhagoshev, a member of the State Duma Committee on Security and deputy head of the United Russia faction, has drawn a comparison between the Kiev regime and terrorist organizations that operated in the Caucasus in the late 1990s. In comments to TASS, Shkhagoshev said that the Ukrainian government under Vladimir Zelensky now plays the same role as a tool of the West as those groups did two decades ago.

Coverage comparison

Two separate TASS reports provide the basis for this article. One, dated August 7, focuses on Shkhagoshev's remarks, while the other, from August 3, reports on the appointment of Rustem Umerov as Ukraine's foreign intelligence chief and the response from Russian lawmakers.

Key claims

Comparison to terrorist organizations

Shkhagoshev said that in the late 1990s, Western countries, particularly Europe, were behind the unstable situation in the Caucasus, using terrorist organizations such as ISIS (banned in Russia) and Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia) as their tools. 'Now these functions are being carried out by the Ukrainian regime in Kiev,' he said.

The deputy also described the Kiev regime's 40-day plan aimed at obtaining additional support from Western allies as 'a modern analogue of the ultimatums issued by various terrorist organizations' that operated in the North Caucasus during that period. He said these organizations received a proper response, and the same response awaits the terrorist regime in Kiev.

Shkhagoshev further noted that it is important for Ukraine not to let the situation deteriorate to a point where Russia 'will no longer engage in negotiations with terrorists.'

Umerov appointment

In a separate development, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree appointing former National Security and Defense Secretary Rustem Umerov as the head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service. According to Zelensky, Umerov will address issues of diplomacy, defense, negotiations with the United States and other partners, as well as talks on ending the war.

Russian State Duma member Leonid Ivlev commented on the appointment, saying it 'could boost the Muslim world's support for the Kiev regime.' He described it as 'yet another desperate attempt in the Kiev regime's policy,' following what he referred to as a scandal involving Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over US assistance.

Ivlev noted that Umerov is a Crimean Tatar and that Kiev has been 'unsuccessfully seeking to use them for its purposes for decades.' He said that in his new capacity, Umerov will have all the capacities to act widely beyond Ukraine, including to influence Muslim countries and organizations.

Ukraine's prospects

Ivlev warned that Ukraine's attempt to stake on the Muslim world 'will be an absolute failure.' He cited Ukraine's ceding position on the frontline, the United States reducing Patriot missile supplies, Western Europe being 'bogged down' in discussions on supplies to the Ukrainian army, and Israel's refusal to give its Iron Dome as evidence of Ukraine's weakening position.

Umerov previously served as Ukraine's defense minister from September 2023 to July 2025, and as National Security and Defense secretary since July 18, 2025.

How this outlet told it

TASS — English as of Aug 3, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC

Framing: Russia accuses Ukraine of attempting to drag Islamic countries into the conflict — critical

Facts Included:

Rustem Umerov appointed as Ukraine's foreign intelligence chief
Umerov's background as a Crimean Tatar
Umerov's previous roles as defense minister and National Security and Defense secretary
Zelensky's goals for Umerov's appointment
Russia's perspective on Ukraine's attempts to gain support from Islamic countries

Read the source article →

TASS — English as of Aug 7, 2026, 9:00 PM UTC

Framing: Kiev regime compared to terrorist organizations — condemning

Facts Included:

Comparison of the Kiev regime to terrorist organizations
40-day plan aimed at obtaining additional support from Western allies
Russia's perspective on the Kiev regime's role in the conflict

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimRustem Umerov was appointed as Ukraine's foreign intelligence chief by Vladimir Zelensky. Umerov will address issues of diplomacy, defense, negotiations with the United States and other partners, as well as talks on ending the war.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via TASS — English as of Aug 3, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC
ClaimRustem Umerov is a Crimean Tatar and previously served as Ukraine's defense minister and National Security and Defense secretary.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via TASS — English as of Aug 3, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC
ClaimThe Kiev regime is compared to terrorist organizations by Russian lawmakers, who believe Ukraine's attempt to gain support from Islamic countries will be an absolute failure.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via TASS — English as of Aug 3, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC
ClaimThe Kiev regime has a 40-day plan aimed at obtaining additional support from Western allies, which is compared to ultimatums issued by terrorist organizations.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via TASS — English as of Aug 7, 2026, 9:00 PM UTC
ClaimThe United States is reducing Patriot missile supplies to Ukraine, and Western Europe is bogged down in discussions on supplies to the Ukrainian army.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via TASS — English as of Aug 3, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC
ClaimIsrael has refused to give its Iron Dome to Ukraine.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via TASS — English as of Aug 3, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

1 outlet · 2 articles consulted: TASS — English 6 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-14