Residents of a Dagestani village demanded Melikov's attention to the sale of pastures.

Residents of the village of Ashaga-Yarak in the Khiva district have nowhere to graze their cattle as a result of the sale of their transhumance lands, participants in a video appeal complained to the head of Dagestan.

An appeal from participants in the SVO from the village of Ashaga-Yarak (in the appeal, the name of the village is given as Ashag-Yarak - note from the "Caucasian Knot") in the Khiva district to the head of the republic, Sergei Melikov, was published today by the Telegram channel "Chernovik 2.0".

Our transhumance lands in the area called "Kalagan" have been sold.

The participants in the appeal stated that they were appealing to Melikov "first as a general, and then as the head of the Republic of Dagestan," noting that 10 people from their village alone were killed in the military operation.

"Bye We are located in the SVO zone, and our rights are being violated. Our lands for pasture livestock farming in an area called "Kalagan" were sold. "..." The villagers have nowhere to graze their livestock (small ruminants and cattle)," they said, noting that in 2005, a village resident organized the agricultural production cooperative "Yarak."

"Subsequently, we believe, he illegally became the sole owner of this agricultural production cooperative. In 2025, he secretly sold our lands to unknown people, without the villagers' knowledge," the assembled group stated.

The participants in the appeal stated that, as a result, the villagers "have no opportunity to engage in livestock farming." "Sergey Alimovich, we have not appealed to other authorities; we are counting on your prudence and integrity. Please send a commission to resolve this very important issue for our village. We will always defend the interests of our Motherland in any situation," they stated.

As can be seen from the video, the appeal was recorded in a large hall, with the sign "Happy New Year!" behind the participants. Most of the participants were wearing civilian clothes.

By 5:45 PM Moscow time, the appeal had garnered 896 views, 18 likes, 11 hearts, and 13 dislikes.

Melikov previously called the appeals of the SVO participants manipulative.

Previously, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that military personnel from Dagestan participating in the SVO periodically record video appeals to the republic's authorities asking them to address various social and domestic issues. Specifically, on March 5, 2025, a video appeal with complaints about inflated prices for school meals and corruption in the purchase of housing for orphans was published by participants in the special military operation from the Tsuntinsky District of Dagestan. At the end of September 2025, SVO participants complained to Melikov about the lack of sewage in Khasavyurt. Sergei Melikov promised in March that the actions of those attempting to manipulate military operation participants by sending them messages asking them to record a video message to the authorities will be harshly suppressed. Appeals from SVO participants in Dagestan to the authorities are prompted by numerous problems in the republic and remain one of the ways to gain the attention of officials. Despite Melikov's statement that combatants are recording messages as a result of "manipulation," he will have to respond to them, analysts noted.

During a direct line on November 27, 2025, the head of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, bypassed pressing issues and gave only vague, convenient answers to the questions raised, residents of the republic noted, noting that they were expecting clarification about the constant electricity and water outages, burning landfills, and rising prices for housing and communal services and transportation.