Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in Chechnya that killed three people, the group's Amaq news agency has reported.
Four people attacked the Orthodox church on Saturday, killing two policemen and a churchgoer, Russian officials said. The attackers were killed.
Amaq said: 'Islamic State fighters executed an attack on "Michael" Church yesterday in Chechnya's capital, Grozny.'
Russia, which hosts the soccer World Cup next month, has fought two wars with separatists in the mainly Muslim internal republic since the 1991 Soviet collapse, but such attacks have become relatively rare in Chechnya.
The wider North Caucasus region remains volatile, however, with unemployment and corruption pushing some to embrace radical Islam.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia said the attack was aimed at 'shattering valuable inter-religious peace'. He said: 'I was very saddened to hear the news about Saturday's assault on the Archangel Michael's Church in the Chechen Republic's capital. People were killed and injured during the attack of gunmen during the evening church service.
'This inhuman and cynical attack of terrorists, who have nothing to do with faith in God, was aimed at shattering valuable inter-religious peace and accord in the region, driving a wedge and sowing fear among its citizens.'
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church praised the courage of police officers, who he said 'risked their lives to protect people and offered resistance to the attackers'. He added: 'I ask to convey my deepest condolences and the words of sincere sympathy to those who have been affected by this tragedy.'
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said the situation in the Chechen capital was relatively calm. He wrote in his Telegram channel: 'Once again, I state that the overall situation in Grozny was not affected. The situation in the city is peaceful, all offices, organisations, shops are open, public transport operates according to schedule, all streets are open for traffic.'
Additional reporting by Reuters.
