Valerik (Russian: Валери́к, Chechen: Валарта[1]/Valargthe[2][3]) is a little river in Chechnya, a tributary of the Sunzha.

Possibly this river was a border between the Vainakhs and the Iranian peoples who lived in the steppe, and a place of bloody battles.

A neighbouring river is named Mardan, which means 'river of the dead' in Ossetic languages.

[5] In 1840 two battles were fought at the banks of the river between Caucasian Imamate murids and the Russian Imperial Army advancing towards inner Chechnya.

After this battle Shamil withdrew from Chechnya and retreated to Caucasian Avaria.