The murder of a schoolboy in Odintsovo has sparked discussions about Russia's national policy in North Caucasus Federal District public groups

The nationalist nature of the murder of a 10-year-old Tajik boy in a school near Moscow demonstrated the failure of nationalities policy in Russia. The "Russian Community" condemned the incident, but users of Dagestani and Chechen Telegram channels pointed out the contribution of such groups in perpetuating Islamophobia as a norm for years.

Today, a funeral was held in Tajikistan for fourth-grader Kobilchon, who died in an attack at a school in Odintsovo, near Moscow, the Asia-Plus internet portal reported.

The attack at Uspenskaya Secondary School in the Odintsovo Urban District was reported on the morning of December 16. A 15-year-old student brought a knife, pepper spray, and an IED-like device to school. In the hallway, he approached a crowd of younger students, including fourth-grader Kobilchon, and asked their nationality. School security guard Dmitry attempted to stop the teenager, but the student pepper-sprayed him and stabbed him. He then chased Kobilchon down the stairs and stabbed him several times. The child died instantly, Kommersant reports.

The Investigative Committee is investigating a murder case (Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code). According to media reports, the attacker published a manifesto in one of the school's chat rooms before arriving at the school. In it, he blames Islam, Jews, liberals, the Antifa movement, and LGBT people (a movement recognized as extremist and banned in Russia) for society's problems, the publication states.

Residents of Dagestan provided assistance to the boy's mother.

The Mufti of Dagestan, Sheikh Akhmad Afandi, took charge of organizing the child's funeral and also provided financial support to the family, said Shamil Bagandaliyev, head of the Mufti of Dagestan's protocol service.

According to him, a representative of the Muftiate has already met with the mother of the deceased boy and conveyed to her words of condolence and support on behalf of the Mufti of Dagestan. "At the initiative of Sheikh Akhmad Afandi, the family will be provided with comprehensive assistance during this difficult time," Bagandaliev said in a Muftiate publication today.

Residents of Dagestan have provided financial support to the mother of a boy who died in a school near Moscow on December 16. The woman had recently lost her husband and mother and was living with twin boys, according to "Atypical Makhachkala." A video of the woman sobbing is attached to the post. "What should I do with the money? I need my son," she says. 

The post garnered 458 comments, most of which expressed support for the boy's mother. Several commenters referenced the events at Crocus City Hall in the context of the Tajik shock victim's murder.

The events of December 16 and their coverage outraged social media users.

The publication of the child's murder video itself is horrific, says media technologist Ramil Kharisov .

"Telegram channels have started publishing videos of the murder of a 10-year-old boy. The logic is simple: be the first, get traffic. But at some point, you have to ask: by publishing a video of a child's murder, what am I achieving? It's a crime. The desire to be the first to post something exclusive must be balanced with common sense and sensibility. I've written about digital hygiene among colleagues many times – this applies to everyone who works with information," the Telegram channel "Vladikavkaz News" quoted him as saying.

These are difficult times. And our understanding of humanity and justice has changed dramatically.

Journalist Ksenia Sobchak was outraged that no one offered psychological help to the dead boy's family.

"We're afraid they'll be declared illegal migrants right there on the spot and deported within 24 hours. 
Times are tough right now. And our understanding of humanity and justice has changed dramatically," Sobchak commented on the  "Chernovik" publication .

Shamil Khadulaev, head of the Dagestan Public Monitoring Commission, called the incident a clear failure of national policy on his Telegram channel. His post received 84 comments.

"And right before our eyes, some kind of communities, associations, and organizations are being nurtured," user 123 pointed out.

Shamil Abdulkhalikov noted in a comment that nationalist Russian public groups are "hysterical about 'posting such crimes should be banned.'" He also emphasized that when a teenager from Uzbekistan beat someone at school, all such public groups posted it.

Meanwhile, ethnic insults directed at the murdered boy also appeared on social media.

"What kind of low-class bastards would allow someone to write something obscene about a child?! Previously, when we heard Russian spoken abroad, we rejoiced that someone living there spoke the same language as us. Now the time has come when we want to erase their knowledge, because those hiding abroad consider themselves 'omnipresent' and 'permissive' with access to the World Wide Web," Ayna Gamzatova , the wife and advisor to the Mufti of the Republic of Dagestan on interfaith issues, government relations, public relations, and the media, wrote on her Telegram channel , commenting on the insults directed at the child.

That's not how radicalization works. The question isn't whether you gave the order or not, but whether you've been normalizing Islamophobia for years.

"No normal Russian person, especially those associated with the Russian Community, can or will support terrorism, whether right-wing, left-wing, or Islamist. We are Orthodox Christians, and terrorism is rooted in blind, satanic hatred. Strength and comfort to the family of the deceased boy," commented Andrei Afanasyev , coordinator of the Russian Community, in a statement published on the community's Telegram channel.

Nationalist public groups are disavowing this incident, noted the author of a video published on the Telegram channel "ChP Grozny 95." "Of course, it wasn't you. No one is writing, 'Go and kill a child.' That's not how radicalization works. The question isn't whether you gave the order or not, but whether you've been normalizing Islamophobia for years?" he asked.

This post garnered three comments on a Telegram channel with over 139,000 subscribers. "If the Sunni had done this, killing some Crusader, they would have been immediately placed on an international wanted list, detained, and trumpeted on every channel about how we Muslims are 'savage murderers.' We would be judged by laws that weren't written for us, and condemned for values ​​that don't belong to us. Where is this freedom everyone cries about? Where is the freedom of speech, faith, and justice that is so zealously 'guaranteed' to us when it only applies to one direction? This isn't freedom, but a cynical farce, double standards on display for all to see," wrote the author of one comment , whose name is withheld.