It is the authorities of Ingushetia—not local residents—who bear responsibility for the ongoing sewage pollution of the Sunzha River. This conclusion was reached by the Prosecutor’s Office, which, for the first time, detailed the history of the long-standing dispute.

According to the agency’s response to lawyer Magomed Bekov, the problem was first identified in the late 2010s. At that time, prosecutors discovered that untreated wastewater was entering the river from treatment facilities on Mendeleev Street and from the area near the Sunzha Central District Hospital.

Subsequently, in 2019, the Sunzha District Court ordered the city administration to rectify the violations. The ruling entered into force, and a year later, bailiffs initiated enforcement proceedings.

However, the issue remained unresolved. In 2023, authority over water supply matters was transferred to the government of Ingushetia, making it the new respondent in the enforcement proceedings. Despite the court ruling, the republic's authorities have still failed to take the necessary measures, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

"The government had threatened to publicly name the individuals dumping sewage into the river. Yet, it turned out that no such cases were found among the residents; instead, the authorities themselves are the ones liable under the enforcement proceedings," Bekov noted.

In the lawyer's view, the scale of the pollution in the Sunzha is so severe that the matter should no longer be just about complying with a court ruling, but also about initiating criminal proceedings.

The issue of the river resurfaced during the search for Khizir Derbichev, an eight-year-old boy who had drowned. At that time, residents and volunteers drew attention to the heavy pollution of the Sunzha, and photos and videos showing murky water and sewage discharges sparked a significant public outcry.