Have often observed rhetoric and grotesque antics of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov constantly reinforces his authority. “I am ready to resign and serve in the structures that ensure the safety of this Holy Moslem place. To be a volunteer and the rest of my life to protect the mosque of al-AKS”, — he wrote Thursday in a Telegram. The only person from whom he is ready to take orders, that is, Vladimir Putin, would be enough to say, “Go!”, to flip the situation in the Caucasus and in Russian politics. Anyway, this proposal Kadyrov was purely rhetorical and testifies to his unswerving belief in their own importance in the eyes of the Russian leader.
The Kremlin is very grateful to him for what he eliminated the separatists and thereby erased Chechnya from the list of extra problems. Like the President of Russia and colorful assurances of loyalty from the vassal. Ramzan Kadyrov proposed to declare Vladimir Putin the lifelong President said he was willing to die for him. Suppose that on account of the sincerity of such statements and there is doubt, the President still appreciates that Chechnya systematically brings him in the election result only slightly less than 100% (the main criterion for evaluating the work of governors).
In response, Ramzan Kadyrov, has received carte Blanche in its Bastion. “He is the one who directly controls the security services (in your region — approx. ed.), although they all take their marching orders from the Federal level”, — says Ekaterina sokyryany from NGO the International Crisis Group. Surrounded by its own Praetorian guard (from 20 000 to 30 000 people) Kadyrov has even threatened to open fire on any Federal forces that come into his turf. His frequent conflicts with the state structures (Federal security service) and companies (Rosneft and Sberbank) are solved directly in the office of the President, because he does not tolerate any intermediaries.
This special status has pushed him to try to expand influence abroad, arranging a serious tension with neighbors (Dagestan, Ingushetia, Stavropol Krai). In addition, Kadyrov is almost parallel to the Kremlin’s diplomatic policy towards the Sunni world, where it often happens with travel. His personal Foundation has been participating in the reconstruction of the Cathedral mosque of Aleppo. In addition, he sent his men to fight with the Ukrainians in the Donbas, and rebels in Syria, rebels against Bashar al-Assad.
His hyperactivity does not directly interfere with the Kremlin, however, kicks it on the rebound. As “soldiers” of Vladimir Putin (he gave himself this nickname), he throws almost openly threatening political and sexual minorities throughout Russia. Moreover, according to the charges, he often enforces them. “Kadyrov is known that was allowed the honor killing, gave the order to burn houses, and even openly threatened politicians, journalists and human rights defenders. Some of them were killed and the culprits go unpunished,” — emphasizes Tatyana Lokshina of Human Rights Watch.
The latest incident was the spring “cleaning” of Chechnya from homosexuals. She raised a storm of indignation in the West, and Vladimir Putin had to listen to unhappy reaction of some governments. However, the President of Russia did not hear a word of criticism and you couldn’t see any sign of irritation, although he has the right at any time to dismiss any regional leader.
In this regard, some observers had the impression that Vladimir Putin had become a “hostage” of Ramzan Kadyrov. “Kadyrov is irreplaceable for the Kremlin, because its legitimacy is not dependent on Putin, — said the head of the Center for political-geographic research, Nikolai Petrov. Kremlin became a hostage of Kadyrov, because more to lose than to win, if you get rid of it.”
Former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky even compares Kadyrov with the “Golem”, which may at any time to get out from under control: “Importantly, we now understand that in Moscow, and perhaps in other cities of Russia, in semi-formal conditions, with weapons and documents of police, with headquarters in “President-hotel” operates a network of bandit going about their gangster business and are ready to intervene in the political processes in Russia, the gangster methods. (…) It must be brought to bear in the process of power change in the country.”
