Dagestan, far from politically stable itself, has been a frequent target of attacks attributed to Chechen militants. Indeed, the most recent Chechen conflict -- part of a series of wars and battles that have been fought intermittently for 200 years -- began when Chechen forces invaded Dagestan.

Although Chechen militants never claim responsibility for bombings, the Kaspiysk attack -- if indeed their work -- would serve two purposes.

First, it meshes with alleged Chechen tactics of hitting population centers in the North Caucasus to keep Russia and

its ethnic allies, such as Ossetia, on edge. Since hostilities resumed in 1998, at least 6,000 people have been killed in Chechnya proper, not to mention the dozens of bombings that have wracked surrounding republics.

Second, and more important, the Chechens and their allies must prove that they are still in the game despite the assassination in March of Khattab, one of the most notorious and successful Chechen field commanders, by Russian security services.

The bombers likely have achieved their goals. At least 12 children were among the 32 confirmed dead, and Victory Day is one of the most poignant rallying points for Russian patriotism. Nearly four years after the beginning of the most recent Chechen war, there is still plenty of gritty determination to go around.

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