Mass shooting in Russia's Dagestan region, 15 police officers killed, 25 injured

Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia's Interfax state-run news outlet reported, citing the regional department of the Interior Ministry, that 15 police officers were killed and 25 were injured following attacks in two cities – Makhachkala and Derbent.

A counterterrorism regime was instituted on June 23 after militants allegedly fired on a synagogue, two churches, and a police post in Russia's Dagestan region, according to local authorities.

A 66-year-old priest, identified as Father Nikolay, was also killed.

According to the regional department of the Interior Ministry, two militants were captured and two others were killed. The exact number of attackers is unknown.

Roadblocks were instituted, and shooting could be heard in the evening, according to Russian media outlet Meduza.

Russian state news agencies posted videos of a synagogue in Derbent engulfed in flames.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify these claims.

The Russian Investigative Committee, the country's main federal investigative body, said it had opened a terrorism investigation in response to the attacks and that investigators were present on the scene.