[3] The town's name comes from "мэз дэгу (mez dugu)", a Kabardian word meaning "the dense forest".

It soon emerged as a key Russian military outpost linked to Kizlyar with a fortified line as well as the center of local trade, ethnic diversity, and Russian-Caucasian interchange.

[2] Moving south from Mozdok, Russia established contact with eastern Georgia through the Darial Gorge.

[citation needed] In June 2003, a suicide bomber struck a bus full of Russian air force personnel with their car.

[10] On August 1, 2003, a military hospital in the city was targeted by a suicide bomber driving a large truck bomb.

[12][13][14] In June 2003, a female suicide bomber targeted a bus carrying pilots and other personnel employed at the airbase on the Mozdok-Prokhladnoye motorway, killing approximately 15 and wounding 12.