This country's police circulated an unknown toxic gas through a (*) movie theater in its capital to end a hostage crisis by Muslim militants from the same region as the earlier Hadji Murad.
Since an 1813 treaty, this country has controlled the Islamic city of Derbent. Ismail Gaspirali founded the religious reform movement of Jadidism in this country, which fought Sufi resistance leader Imam Shamil during the mid 19th century. This country's police circulated an unknown toxic gas through a (*) movie theater in its capital to end a hostage crisis by Muslim militants from the same region as the earlier Hadji Murad. Aslan Maskhadov led resistance to this country from a separatist republic with capital at Grozny. For 10 points, name this country whose recent actions against militant Islam have included backing Syria's Bashar al-Assad at the UN and crushing an insurgency in Chechnya.
Since an 1813 treaty, this country has controlled the Islamic city of Derbent.
Russia [or Russian Federation; or Russian Empire]