Muftis of the North Caucasus republics have announced the start dates for Ramadan.

The Muftiate of Dagestan declared February 19th the first day of Ramadan. In Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Karachay-Cherkessia, the first day of the holy month and fast is February 18th.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in 2025, Ramadan began on March 1st, a date shared by all the republics of the North Caucasus. However, North Caucasian muftiates often declare the beginning of Ramadan on days different from those established by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia. Local theologians, however, rely on the appearance of the moon in the sky. Thus, in 2024, in most of the North Caucasus republics, March 11th was declared the beginning of Ramadan, but in Dagestan, the Spiritual Administration set March 12th as the first day of Ramadan.

Additional prayers for the holy month of Ramadan begin today in mosques in Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Karachay-Cherkessia.

"Due to the sighting of the new moon, tomorrow, February 18, is the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Accordingly, today, February 17, all mosques in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic will begin performing the tarawih prayer," the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic announced today on its Telegram channel.

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Chechnya and Karachay-Cherkessia announced the same start date for Ramadan. "Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 18, 2026, is the first day of Ramadan," the republic's Spiritual Administration of Muslims reported on its Telegram channel.

"The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic declares February 18 the first day of fasting," the republic's Muftiate channel reported.

The head of Ingushetia, Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, today congratulated the republic's Muslims on Ramadan, also naming February 18 as the first day of strict fasting. Earlier, on February 13, he ordered the workday to be shortened by one hour during Ramadan, "so that everyone can comfortably observe the fast." "Government bodies, local governments, institutions, businesses, and organizations must take this into account in their work. (...) Retailers in the republic are advised to remain open until at least 11:00 PM and not allow food prices to rise," reads a statement on the republic's head of state's official Telegram channel.

The Muftiate of Dagestan, in turn, announced February 19 as the first day of Ramadan. "Tomorrow, February 18, is the first tarawih prayer," said Magdi Mutailov, head of the committee for determining the dates of lunar months under the Council of Ulama of Dagestan. A video of the theologian's statement was published on the Muftiate's official channel.

The start dates of Ramadan for the republic have not been announced on the page of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of North Ossetia. The last post on the administration's VKontakte page, announcing Khadzhimurat Gatsalov's reelection as Mufti of the Republic, was made three days ago, on February 14.

The Council of Ulema of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia announced the start and end dates of Ramadan back in late January. According to a post on the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia website, Ramadan this year will begin at sunset on February 18, with the first day of fasting being February 19 and the last day being March 19.