A political leader has been seriously injured in an apparent assassination attempt in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan. Farid Babayev has been taken to hospital with gunshot wounds.
His condition is said to be critical and he is currently undergoing surgery. Babayev is the leader of the Yabloko political party's local branch. The party is gearing up for Russia's upcoming parliamentary election on December 2. “Farid Babayev was shot at 9:00 pm local time on Wednesday in Makhachkala. The incident happened in the entrance of his own apartment block. He received four gunshot wounds, two in the head. Now he is in Makhachkala's Central Hospital and is reported to be in a grave condition,” commented Mark Tolchinsky, Internal Affairs Ministry representative, commented.