What is on Kadyrov's finger. Kadyrov and the Kadyrovites: why the Kremlin forgives the Chechen leadership for everything
The smallest hero, the little finger, received little attention. Today we decided to correct this situation and talk about the decoration on the last finger of the hand.
You will learn:
- Who wears a pinky ring?
- What does the decoration on the little finger of the left and right hand mean?
- Wedding ring on the little finger.
The middle and ring fingers are the two most popular fingers that girls use to buy jewelry. Of course, a gold engagement ring is worn exactly on the penultimate finger, and neat jewelry looks harmoniously on the middle one.
But if you want to stand out from the gray mass, attract attention to yourself, enhance your abilities and attract good luck, we carefully look at your little finger and mentally select a suitable decoration for it.
Who wears a pinky ring?- The answer is simple: this piece of jewelry can be worn by both men and girls, of any age and style of clothing. But do not forget that in our world there are special interpretations that may otherwise comprehend your jewelry.
Since the 1950s, a thin ring on the little fingers of the left and right hand has signified the owner's unconventional orientation. For the last 10 years, everyone has forgotten this meaning, because now you can, without hiding, declare your preferences. If your sexual orientation is natural, it is better to pay attention to rings with bright stones, rather than thin, inconspicuous bands.
What does the ring on the little finger of the right hand mean?
Marlene Dietrich, Johnny Depp, Prince Charles. Elvis Presley and many other famous and influential personalities prefer to wear rings and large seals on the right little finger. Such people show their fortitude, sophistication of the mind and the desire to go ahead in order to achieve their goal. If we go back a few centuries ago, then only a special rich nobility wore men's seals on the little finger of their right hand, who emphasized their condition with such decoration.
Astrologers say:
Is your goal to become more sociable, improve oratorical skills, successfully conduct business conversations?
1. A small gold ring with a red stone (ruby, garnet, carnelian) on the little finger of your right hand will certainly help you achieve your goal.
2. A silver ring without stones will balance your active life, bring your share of peace.
3. But on the little finger of the left hand, the ring is put on by people who are looking for the solitary life of a recluse. Often, these are monks who surrender their destiny to God.
But there are slightly different explanations for choosing a finger for decoration.
Anatoly is upset: «… the ring finger got fatter and the engagement ring only fit on the little finger ".
In the jewelry workshop, you can increase the size of the wedding ring, or order the manufacture of new models for the husband and wife, using gold from your first wedding rings.
What does the ring on the little finger of the left hand mean?
One of the meanings of such decoration is to convey to the world their unwillingness to enter into marriage. Women's and men's rings on the left little finger can be a tribute to fashion and modern style, so you should never jump to conclusions.
But let's take a look at Brad Pitt, whose name was full of the covers of all famous magazines and scandalous newspapers. Even before parting with his wife Jolie, a large ring flaunted on the left little finger of the right-believing and walking Brad.
On the other hand, Charles, Prince of Wales wears signets on the little fingers of both his left and right hands. And he was not seen in the unwillingness to marry. On the contrary, for many years he hid his true and bright love with a girl of non-royal blood.
Men's ring on the little finger - how to choose it correctly?
A beautiful ring on a manly hand looks very stylish. On the little fingers, rings are worn by creative people: actors, artists, critics, composers. Men who want to attract general attention, emphasize their originality.
Signet- This is a large ring with a coat of arms or initials. Such a ring has a long history, because it was used to seal letters with wax. When the seal was imprinted on hot wax, an image of the family coat of arms, or the initials of the sender, remained. It is customary for men to wear a signet on the little finger of their left hand.
Love for seals has no time limits. And if, instead of sealing letters, we simply send the necessary information by e-mail, and we don’t need a personalized imprint, but our soul desires a gold jewelry, modern jewelers come to your aid. The initials and coat of arms are replaced with stylish patterns or gems.
ring with one large solitaire stone (diamond, quartz, onyx, agate, etc.) is preferred by wealthy middle-aged men. Remember, so these precious and semi-precious stones look great in men's rings.
Wedding ring on pinky- a fairly common decoration option. You guessed it right, the main reason for this is the occasional fat fingers of men "in their prime."
Galina offers her own version:
“He counts marriages. For the fifth - the little finger is suitable ")))
We asked Gennady what the ring on the little finger of a man means.
The answer didn't surprise me:“This means that it really doesn’t fit on any fingers anymore, or you are a creative person!”
Order jewelry for the little finger! Press!
According to the unanimous opinion of all Ulama, wearing by men silver ring is allowed. Abdullah ibn Umar (radiyallahu anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) acquired a silver ring. He wore this ring on his finger. Then this ring passed to Abu Bakr, then to Umar, then to Osman. And in the time of Osman, this ring fell into the well of Eris. On this ring was written "Muhammadurrasulullah" ( Muslim, Libas, 54).
In another narration, Ibn Umar (radiyallahu anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) acquired a golden ring. Then he threw it away. After that, he purchased a silver ring and ordered that “Muhammadurrasulullah” be engraved on it and said: “Let none of you apply any other over this inscription.” When he put on this ring, he turned it with a stone to the inside of his palm. And it was this ring that fell into the well of Eris" ( Muslim, Libas, 55).
At the same time, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used this ring as a seal. Anas ibn Malik (radiallahu anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wanted to write letters calling for Islam, the rulers of Persia, Byzantium and Ethiopia. When he was told: “They do not accept letters without a seal”, he asked me to make him a silver ring and engrave “Muhammadurrasulullah” on it” ( Muslim, Libas, 58).
Alims said that the ring of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was decorated with agate. Sometimes the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wore this ring on the little finger of his right hand, and sometimes on the little finger of his left. And he turned the stone inside the palm. Anas ibn Malik (radiallahu anhu) reports: “The Messenger of Allah put a ring on his right hand. The ring was decorated with a stone brought from Ethiopia. He turned the stone in the palm of his hand" ( Muslim, Libas, 62). In another narration, he, pointing to the little finger of his left hand, said: "The ring of the Messenger of Allah was here" ( Muslim, Libas, 63).
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade wearing a ring on the middle and ring fingers. Ali (radiallahu anhu), pointing on the middle and ring fingers, said: "The Messenger of Allah forbade me to wear a ring on this and on this finger."
Regarding the silver ring, the fiqh books give the following explanation: men and women are allowed to wear silver rings. For sultans, qadis and other government officials, the use of the ring is sunnah, since the ring was previously used as a seal. It is also sunnah for the weight of the ring to be equal to one mithqal, and in accordance with the sunnah, the stone should be turned to the inside of the palm. However, women should not turn the ring over, as it is an adornment for them. But for men, the ring is not an ornament. It is allowed that the ring be decorated with agate or some precious stone, such as an emerald. On the ring, you can engrave your own name or one of the names of Allah.
First, Ramzan Kadyrov personally, and now his inner circle, are making unequivocal threats against the opposition. On the background investigations case of the murder of Boris Nemtsov, in which former fighters of the Sever battalion are accused, who are personally subordinate to the head of Chechnya, published by Kadyrov's associate Magomed Daudov " Tarzan's list"Looks like a very real threat.
This is not the first time that Kadyrov and his entourage allow themselves something for which any other official would be immediately dismissed and possibly arrested. But the Kremlin does not respond, despite persistent requests from official structures - including the Presidential Human Rights Council.
A book by former Dozhd editor-in-chief Mikhail Zygar quotes one of the sources in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle describing the relationship between the head of state and one of his subjects: “Putin has a special relationship with Kadyrov. This, of course, is a rather strange system. Well, it can’t the head of the region consider only Putin as his authority and no one else. This is a very crooked system, but it has developed this way."
The present time has identified five main points that most fully describe this "crooked system".
How Kadyrov came to power
During the second Chechen war, the Kremlin managed to win over one of the most influential supporters of the separatists, the chief mufti of Chechnya, Akhmat Kadyrov. There were other field commanders who supported Moscow, but it was Akhmat Kadyrov who proposed introducing direct presidential rule in the warring region until the elections. On June 12, 2000, by decree of President Putin, Kadyrov the father was appointed head of the administration of Chechnya. In October 2003, he was elected President of the Republic.
Less than a year later, on May 9, 2004, Akhmat Kadyrov died: during a concert dedicated to Victory Day, a podium with high-ranking spectators exploded.
The day after the death of the former supreme mufti, the first public meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov took place. The one and a half minute plot of the First Channel was remembered by the audience for the fact that the son of the deceased head of Chechnya came to the Kremlin in a tracksuit. Ramzan Kadyrov himself is extremely laconic, his remark breaks off after two seconds. "The choice made by the Chechen people is a conscious choice," he says. On video published on the Kremlin website, these words are not. Kadyrov Jr. only says "thank you", Putin hugs him.
Less than a month after the death of his father, on June 1, Ramzan Kadyrov's elder brother Zelimkhan died. Minister of Health of Chechnya informed that a 30-year-old man died of acute heart failure. Zelimkhan Kadyrov never laid claim to power and served as foreman of a special company of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Ramzan Kadyrov looks completely different in interview with Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya. By that time, "Kadyrov's team" had already nominated their candidate for the presidency of Chechnya - Alu Alkhanov. Ramzan Kadyrov could not apply for this post, since according to the law a person under 30 years old cannot head a region (at that time Kadyrov was 27 years old).
Politkovskaya notes that in the village of Tsentoroy, where Kadyrov then lived, "the Chechen capital was actually transferred." "Not Ramzan, for example, goes to Abramov [ Sergei Borisovich, then - acting. President of Chechnya], and Abramov [like many other officials] - to Ramzan. Here, in Tsentoroy, the nomination of a candidate for the presidency of the Chechen Republic took place - the so-called nomination from the "Kadyrov team"," Politkovskaya wrote.
Ramzan Kadyrov speaks of his readiness to "put things in order not only in Chechnya, but in the entire North Caucasus." "We will fight everywhere in Russia. I have a directive - to work throughout the North Caucasus. On the bandits," he says.
Politkovskaya asks about the conflict with the Yamadayev brothers (field commanders who during the Second Chechen War also went over to the side of Moscow and created the Vostok battalion). Kadyrov denied that he was in a quarrel with them. "That's not true. You can't be in a conflict with me - that person will not do well."
Anna Politkovskaya was shot dead in the elevator of her house on October 7, 2006, Vladimir Putin's birthday.
What happened to Kadyrov's opponents
In November 2006, the former bodyguard of Akhmat Kadyrov, the commander of the Highlander detachment, FSB colonel Movladi Baisarov, was shot dead in Moscow on Leninsky Prospekt. According to the official version, he was killed while trying to detain him by a special group of Interior Ministry officers from Chechnya. The prosecutor's office decided that the Chechen security forces acted legally and closed the criminal case.
In April 2008, the conflict between Kadyrov and the Yamadayev clan escalated. Then the youngest of the brothers, Badruddi Yamadayev, and his guards did not give way to the motorcade of the Chechen president. Subordinating to the brothers, the battalion "Vostok" was disbanded in the fall of 2008 - immediately after this unit took part in the war in Georgia.
Ruslan Yamadayev, a former United Russia deputy and hero of Russia, was the first to die - he was shot dead in September 2008 in Moscow in the immediate vicinity of the White House. Sulim Yamadayev died on March 28, 2009 in Dubai. Among the defendants in this case was Ramzan Kadyrov's personal groom, and Adam Delimkhanov, Kadyrov's right-hand man, was put on the wanted list through Interpol. The killers were sentenced to life imprisonment, but two years later they were released.
And in September 2009, in the hometown of the Yamadayevs, Gudermes, Ramzan Kadyrov ordered the demolition of a mosque dedicated to the eldest of the Yamadayev brothers, Jabrail. Dzhabrail Yamadayev died in 2003 as a result of a terrorist attack. In August 2010, a member of the clan, Isa Yamadayev, who survived several assassination attempts and publicly called Kadyrov the mastermind behind the murders of his brothers, reconciled with the head of Chechnya.
Human rights activists have repeatedly accused Kadyrov and his subordinates of kidnapping, torturing and killing people in Chechnya. One of the most famous human rights activists was Natalya Estemirova, an employee of Memorial.
She was abducted on 15 July 2009 near her home in Grozny. Her colleagues reported that two witnesses from the balcony saw her being pushed into a white VAZ car, she managed to shout that she was being kidnapped. On the same day, the body of a woman with bullet wounds to the head and chest was found in a forest belt a hundred meters from the federal highway "Caucasus" near the village of Gazi-Yurt in the Nazranovsky district of Ingushetia.
Who are the Kadyrovites
There are two permanent characters on Kadyrov's Instagram. In the photo, next to the head of Chechnya, they often stand: on the right hand is State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov, and on the left hand is the head of the Chechen administration, Magomed Daudov, also known as Lord. It is believed that Delimkhanov deals with all issues related to what is happening outside of Chechnya. Daudov deals with problems within the republic. In violation of this tradition, the photograph with the Caucasian Shepherd Tarzan was published by the Lord, and not by Delimkhanov.
One can judge how influential Magomed Daudov is on history with Ruslan Kutaev, who, without agreement with the leadership of Chechnya (including the Lord), held a conference on the anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen people. He was kidnapped, then arrested, charged with drug possession and is now serving a four-year sentence.
For the first time, State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov became famous when, during a fight with another United Russia deputy in the hall of the State Duma, a golden pistol fell out of his belt.
Adam Delimkhanov was repeatedly mentioned in the context of the murder of Boris Nemtsov, since Delimkhanov's brother Alimbek is the commander of the Sever battalion. Several defendants in the case of the murder of Boris Nemtsov served in this battalion, including Zaur Dadaev, who may have shot the politician, and Beslan Shavanov, who died during the arrest, calls the killer is another defendant, Anzor Gubashev.
In addition to the "North" battalion, directly to Kadyrov obeys The "Oil Regiment" of the Department of Private Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic, guarding, in addition to the oil fields, the Kadyrovs' ancestral village of Tsentoroy (2400 people), two regiments of patrol service, one of which bears the name of Akhmat Kadyrov (1125 people each), OMON of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs ( 300 people). The special forces battalions "North" and "South", included in the 46th brigade of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, number 700 and 550 people, respectively. Total is 6200 fighters.
Experts believe that in fact Kadyrov's armed forces are much larger, and they talk about 20-30 thousand fighters. In the film "Open Russia" "Family" voiced the most radical estimate is 80,000 people.
At the end of December 2014, in Grozny, on the instructions of Ramzan Kadyrov, a general parade of Chechen police officers took place. At the stadium "Dynamo" collected about 20 thousand people.
"Chairman of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic Magomed Daudov noted that, despite the difficult economic situation in the country, thanks to the personal participation of the Head of the Chechen Republic, Hero of Russia Ramzan Kadyrov, a significant reduction in his parameters was avoided," Grozny-inform reported.
In 2015, Moscow transferred more than 20 billion rubles to the budget of Chechnya.
How the Kremlin reacted to the murder of Nemtsov
In the book "All the Kremlin's army", the head of which published on the Snob portal, the former editor-in-chief of the Dozhd TV channel describes the relationship between Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov and how the head of Russia reacted to the murder of Boris Nemtsov near the Kremlin walls. The politician was shot dead outside the Kremlin walls on February 27, 2015.
According to official reports on the presidential website, the very next morning, Putin first called King Abdullah II of Jordan, and then the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed al-Nahyan. And only after that he sent a telegram with condolences to Nemtsov's mother. On March 4, Putin came to the collegium of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where he demanded that the case be resolved as soon as possible: “We must finally rid Russia of shame and tragedies like the one that we recently experienced and saw, I mean the daring murder of Boris Nemtsov right in the center of the capital.”
The day after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Putin disappeared. He did not appear in public for ten days. Later, Putin's entourage will explain that he had the flu and went to Valdai. The author's sources in the Kremlin environment said that in fact the President "left to think."
All this time, Kadyrov tried to contact the president and posted one post after another on Instagram with oaths of loyalty to Vladimir Putin. On March 11, Ramzan Kadyrov was summoned to Pyatigorsk for an off-site meeting of the Security Council, which was chaired by Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, a former director of the FSB. He told Kadyrov about the details of the investigation into the murder of Nemtsov and about the evidence against people from his entourage.
During his 10-day absence, Putin did more than just play sports. He thought about what he should do with Chechnya now and how to behave with Ramzan Kadyrov, Zygar quotes sources from the Russian leader's entourage. Finally, on March 16, Putin appeared in public, but Kadyrov was not connected with him again, claims the former editor-in-chief of Dozhd.
On March 26, Putin came to Lubyanka to take part in the FSB collegium. Those close to Putin were surprised to note that after a ten-day absence, the president had doubled his bodyguards.
Without talking to Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov flew to the United Arab Emirates, taking his entire inner circle with him. At first he watched the races in which his horses participated, but even after them he did not rush to return back. Kadyrov and his team spent ten days in the Emirates. While in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Kadyrov continued to swear allegiance to the president. Only on April 6 did Kadyrov and his team return to Grozny. On the same day, Putin's order was published, conferring the title of "city of military glory" on Grozny.
Magomed Daudov, better known by his call sign "Lord", is part of Ramzan Kadyrov's inner circle, carrying out, in fact, the "special orders" of the head of the republic. Daudov has a reputation as a very dangerous person. He is the subject of many scandalous stories related to the intimidation of both the residents of Chechnya and Kadyrov's critics outside of it.
Biography
Magomed Daudov was born in 1980. In the First and Second Chechen Wars, he fought on the side of the militants, but after Akhmat Kadyrov announced an amnesty, he "came out of the forest" and joined the ranks of the Russian army.
Here Magomed Daudov rose to the rank of colonel, participated in the fight against the remaining armed Chechen underground, and later, in commanding positions, he was engaged in the fight against organized crime and human trafficking as part of the Chechen Interior Ministry.
In 2007, Vladimir Putin awarded Daudov the title of "Hero of Russia" with the wording: "For courage and heroism."
Since 2010, Daudov has been the curator of the power bloc of Chechnya, and then a key official under Kadyrov. Currently, he is the speaker of the Chechen parliament.
What is known Magomed Daudov in Chechnya. And beyond
2017. "Re-educated" gays
In early 2017, Novaya Gazeta reported on the testimonies of Chechens who had been in secret prisons on suspicion of homosexual relationships and managed to escape from Chechnya. From their stories it followed that Magomed Daudov was well aware of the raids on homosexuals that had begun. Moreover, Daudov personally came to secret prisons and himself supervised the transfer of the detained Chechens to their relatives (the procedure worked only after the detainees confessed their guilt; and only men were called from the relatives of the detainees to “meet” with Daudov).
During this “meeting” with relatives, Daudov first told what the detainees confessed to, then he scolded the relatives themselves, and only then handed them over to relatives.
For the Chechens released from prison, this did not mean freedom at all: at home they became outcasts, and the “shame” that they brought on their entire family, according to ancient customs, is “washed away with blood.” The editors know the names of several dead.
On May 26, the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch published a report based on the stories of Chechens who fled the republic after being tortured in secret prisons, where they ended up on suspicion of homosexual relationships. There again sounded the name of the speaker of the Chechen parliament, Magomed Daudov.
from hrw report 05/26/2017
“It seems that Daudov played a key role in organizing the “cleansing” of the republic from gays, approved by the republican leadership. Most of our interlocutors from among the former detainees said that they heard how the security forces who captured them and mocked them spoke about Daudov and about the command allegedly received from him for a tough “cleansing” of gays. Three of the people we interviewed personally saw Daudov when they were held in Argun and Grozny.”
2016. Threatened journalists
In November 2016, Magomed Daudov made a harsh statement to Grigory Shvedov, editor-in-chief of the Caucasian Knot website, threatening him to “pull out a pair of fangs of wisdom” and “shorten his tongue to standard sizes.” Shvedov perceived Daudov's post as a threat to the journalists of his publication. In January of this year, the journalist filed an application with the Investigative Committee in connection with the threats from Daudov.
2016. Canceled drinking
At the end of October, Daudov finally solved the problem of drunkenness in Chechnya: he proposed a complete ban on the sale of alcohol. Invited to meet with Daudov, the owners of shops licensed to sell alcohol in the republic immediately renounced their licenses. The incident occurred after a resonant road accident with 7 deaths, which happened due to the fault of a drunk driver. (The driver's relatives then left Chechnya)
2016. Accused of beating the chief Chechen judge
In October 2016, Daudov's name appeared in the scandal involving the beating of the acting chairman of the Supreme Court of Chechnya, Takhir Murdalov. The Kavkazskie Realii website reported on the beating, while Novaya Gazeta had information about Daudov’s visit to Murdalov’s office, who, despite threats, refused to sign a letter of resignation for health reasons (Kadyrov was dissatisfied with Murdalov and the day before at a meeting arranged a scolding of the entire Chechen judiciary). The story received a federal response, and when Murdalov was forced to refute his beating on the air of Grozny television. At the same time, no one began to refute the fact of Daudov's pressure on the chief Chechen judge.
2015. Curated the "correct news" about Chechnya in the media and the blogosphere
In 2015, "Novaya Gazeta" about the specific struggle of the Chechen authorities for the "correct news" about the republic, which was entrusted to Daudov. Orders were sent out to officials about the minimum number of positive comments in social networks about Chechnya per day, bloggers who write about Chechnya "incorrectly" from the point of view of the authorities were persuaded - both in word and deed (they punched the address of an incautious Internet user, came to him with a video camera and filmed apologies or humiliating videos).
Ramzan Kadyrov and Magomed Daudov. Photo: Instagram
2014. Included in the sanctions list of the US State Department for the "case of Kutaev"
At the end of 2014, Magomed Daudov and Deputy Interior Minister of Chechnya Apti Alautdinov were included in the sanctions list by the US State Department for "torture and kidnapping of activist Ruslan Kutaev."
The sanctions involve banning these individuals from entering the United States and freezing their assets in the territory.
2014. Conflict with Chechen politician Ruslan Kutaev
On February 20, 2014, Ruslan Kutaev, a 60-year-old politician and associate of Gennady Gudkov, told the investigator that he was Magomed Daudov, then the head of Kadyrov's administration.
Kutaev is the only one who did not listen to Daudov and did not show up for an appointment with Kadyrov, who was dissatisfied with the holding of a conference on the anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen people on February 23 (Kadyrov moved the date to May). The refusal was followed by revenge: Kutaev was detained, beaten (among those beaten, according to Kutaev, was Daudov), a criminal case was opened for possession of drugs and convicted.
from the testimony of ruslan kutaev
“After removing the jacket from my head, I noticed that we were between two two-story red brick buildings, if they show me these buildings, I can find out the place ...
Daudov Magomed and the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Chechen Republic Alaudinov Apti ... began to inflict kicks and punches all over the body and head. As a result, I lost consciousness, but when I regained consciousness, I heard Daudov Magomed ordering me to be thrown into the basement ... At about 10 pm, a guy came in ... He was 180 cm tall, aged 30-35 years, of a dense build, a rounded face with a red beard ... On the little finger of his right hand he had a signet of white metal with a pattern in the form of a "Crown". This guy took out handcuffs from a black briefcase, a folding knife with a blade of about 40 cm with a black plastic handle, as well as an object in the form of a TV remote control, using which<приставляя нож к шее>he passed electric charges through my body ... "
2011. Explained to the jury that they delivered the wrong verdict
In 2011, the media talked about the episode with Daudov, who scolds the members of the jury who acquitted the accused Chechens. Those were accused of participating in gangs. Magomed Daudov was then deputy chairman of the government of Chechnya and a juror that the acquitted would still be punished, since the case was under the control of the "padishah" (i.e., Kadyrov).
from the appeal of Magomed Daudov to the jurors who acquitted the defendants
“You should be ashamed, you are people who judge before the Almighty, people who were introduced from the district, believing that you will tell the truth, thinking that since this one’s father was killed, this Wahhabist’s brother was killed, this one’s cousin<…>. But you have no face, you are not Chechens, you are guilty before the Almighty, because you passed an unfair sentence, you trampled on someone else's blood, you took on someone else's blood and released the criminals ... Padishah (Ramzan Kadyrov) took<это дело>under your own control,<потому что>this won't work here. They<оправданные>will be punished, as our law requires ... "
Gudermes, Russia - "I'll make them scream."
The President of Chechnya looks at the birds swimming in the dark water of an artificial lake in his yard: black swans, pelicans, ducks. Ostriches roam the opposite bank. His massive chest and powerful arms tremble from loud laughter. Then Ramzan Kadyrov stops. "Bring me a tiger!" he barks at his camouflaged servants, "bring me some bread!"
Two former militants are dragging a chained tiger down the muddy bank. The tiger resists, bares its fangs and beats the guards with its wide paws. They scream and hit the tiger on the head until the beast clings to the ground. Meanwhile, Kadyrov throws pieces of bread into the water for his outlandish birds brought here from all over the world. He wants to lure the birds closer to the shore so that the tiger will scare them. He still wants the birds to scream.
Partners
Kadyrov has been president of Chechnya for one year. He was appointed to this position by Russian President Vladimir Putin, shortly after Kadyrov turned 30 and legally qualified to hold the post. Kadyrov inherited his power from his father Akhmad Kadyrov. This Muslim mufti and separatist leader, after a bloody war, made an agreement with Moscow and became the Chechen president, but was later killed.
Ramzan Kadyrov continues the work of his father, who went over to the side of Moscow and led Chechnya back under Russian rule. The young Kadyrov succeeded in crushing dissent, appeasing the separatist republic, and embarking on a massive reconstruction campaign.
Kadyrov's biography is cruel and confusing in a Byzantine way. The history of his life is the history of Chechnya, and it helps to take a closer look at this restless "soft underbelly" of modern Russia.
Today, on the streets of Grozny, to the ground destroyed by a ruthless hail of Russian shells and bombs, active construction is underway. They also have a lot of evidence of flattery and servility to the young president. "God gave us Kadyrov!" - the taxi driver exclaims, driving his car along the roads of the capital.
Kadyrov's critics say he rules Chechnya with terror and violence, that he has created a new Soviet dictatorship. However, such critics are quite difficult to find, because they have a habit of disappearing.
“When Ramzan Kadyrov came to power, there was fear. This fear gradually penetrates into the hearts of people,” says Tatyana Kasatkina, executive director of the Russian human rights organization Memorial, which has been working in Chechnya for many years. “These are people who fought in the mountains "These are militants, and their hands are stained with blood. Their law of honor is this: if you go against us or against Kadyrov, you will be destroyed."
When Kadyrov hears the words "human rights organization", he smiles, puts a knife in his mouth and bites it.
He then says that all of these stories are lies.
There are several topics that Kadyrov does not want to talk about. The first theme is war. When Chechnya fought the first of two wars of independence from Russia, Kadyrov and his father fought against the Russians. He shrugs and says he was "15, maybe 16" when he first led a militant squad. According to him, he had no childhood. And Kadyrov does not want to remember those times.
Another undesirable topic is the process of going over to Moscow's side. "I have always been with the people," he says, "I don't know who went over to whose side, but I have always been with the people."
He does not want to talk about the death of his father in May 2004. Kadyrov was responsible for his safety, but on the day of his father's death he was in Moscow. Someone planted an artillery shell with an explosive device right under his chair at a sports stadium in Grozny.
Kadyrov keeps the memory of his father with due zeal. The scarcely restored capital is full of monuments to Akhmad Kadyrov, and many of them bear his words: "I have always been proud of my people." This requires proof, but other, more famous words are also attributed to Akhmad Kadyrov: "There are many times more Russians than Chechens, so each Chechen must kill 150 Russians." But you will not see such a quote anywhere.
When Ramzan Kadyrov came to power, Moscow seemed to give him carte blanche to rebuild and tighten the screws. Analysts say that this deal with the Kremlin is quite in the spirit of Goethe's Faust: let Kadyrov do what he wants, as long as everything is calm in Chechnya.
Kadyrov has nothing for Putin but enthusiastic praise. "He is my idol," says the Chechen president, "Putin is great."
For all his smug demeanor, Kadyrov has become softer since coming to power. He used to tell reporters this way: "I have already killed those who should have been killed ... I will kill as long as I live."
When reminded of these words, he smiles and nods to acknowledge that he said that. Is it still like this? Of course, he says. But now he prefers not to use the word "kill".
"We used tough methods to show what was right and what was wrong," Kadyrov says, "against those who didn't understand, we waged a tough and even brutal fight."
It has been several years since the second Chechen war subsided and escalated into scattered and sporadic militant attacks. But until now, from 3,500 to 5,000 Chechens are considered missing. Nobody knows how many people disappeared during the war, and how many of them disappeared during Kadyrov's rule.
Human rights activists report that most of the people who disappeared after the young president came to power were captured by his security forces. In the police, as well as in his personal security service, Kadyrov's former militants play a major role.
"We are looking for them. We find them," Kadyrov says. "Most of the missing people committed crimes in Chechnya and left the republic. Some went into the forest. Some died or died."
The number of disappearances dropped sharply as Kadyrov began to gain strength and quell dissent. Lawyers are talking about it. But they warn that statistics are now harder to collect because people have become afraid.
“There are a large, very large number of people who disappear for several hours or days and then return home beaten and psychologically broken. Most of them never admit what happened to them,” says Natalya Esterimova, a Memorial employee from Grozny. All this is hidden and hushed up.
Kadyrov is married and has five children. The president has a wide variety of hobbies - from dangerous animals to high-speed cars and boxing.
He doesn't need a driver. He simply jumps behind the wheel of his Mercedes and sets off on the roads of Chechnya, accompanied by a long motorcade of guards who follow him in the same Mercedes with the same numbers and drivers similar to Kadyrov at the wheel. When he arrives, his guards quickly switch numbers to mislead the would-be killer.
On the side of a mountain overlooking the presidential residence in the city of Gudermes to the east of Grozny, the inscription "There is no God but Allah" is written in huge Arabic letters. Kadyrov leads his guests from the massive stone house through a fragrant rose garden to his own zoo, where he shows them caged lions, leopards and cougars. He sticks his hand through the fence, strokes and pats his pets, pulls them towards him and presses them to the bars. He sharply pulls the lion's mane.
When the beast starts to growl at him, Kadyrov growls back, baring his teeth and mimicking a lion's expression. "This one isn't friendly yet," he says, staring into the eyes of the snarling panther, "but everyone has their own string. We find that string and deal with it."
Then he leads the guests to the pond. As they step onto a bridge made of ropes and boards, Kadyrov begins to rock the entire structure. Watching the guests sway and lose their balance, he begins to laugh harshly again. Then, so people don't get embarrassed, he happily announces, "I did it on purpose!"
Later, he sits down at a table with fine black caviar, chocolate bars and fresh apricots. Kadyrov boasts about the military school he opened for personal protection, and then shows a documentary filmed by his people in which teenagers attack tanks and fight in all the rules of martial arts.
"Look, look, these are the best shots," he says. On the screen, one cadet kicks his opponent's head with force. All this happens against the backdrop of rhythmic music. "This is beauty!" - says Kadyrov. He admires Mike Tyson and his iron fists. Having met with the American boxer in Moscow, Kadyrov persuaded him to pay a visit to Grozny.
"People say I paid him a lot of money. That's not true," says Kadyrov, "he should have paid himself to be able to be here."
"Kadyrov, you've only been president for a year, but the city has already risen from the ashes, and people are rejoicing," is written on a poster posted on Kadyrov Avenue. This avenue is located next to Kadyrov Square and the Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque.
This statement is partly true. Grozny is returning to normal at a remarkably fast pace. Two years ago it had only one traffic light. Today there are supermarkets, a small hotel near a working airport, billiard rooms, a cinema and restaurants. Two of them are called "Hollywood".
All this is the price Moscow pays for peace. “We get as much as we need,” says Kadyrov, “they destroyed everything, so why not pay? Our people are not to blame. I demand. They are obliged to restore everything, and if this does not happen, I will resign."
Evening falls, and the quiet streets fill with people walking among rose bushes, sitting on benches, making their way between construction sites along roads dug up for laying pipes. But this is a building on human bones. Here and there, human remains are regularly found. European human rights organizations are raising money for a laboratory to identify bodies, but as long as there is no laboratory, there is no identification.
There are facades, and there is reality. The facades are mostly new, usually covered with posters with Kadyrov's face. But as soon as a group of elderly women see visitors appear in the yard of the constructed apartment building, they start shouting: "There is no water here! There is nothing inside! There are not even doors!"
The women walk up the concrete stairs, and the smell of waste gets stronger. They enter one of the apartments and start gesticulating in desperation. Cracked concrete floors were poured in such a hurry that lumps of concrete stuck to the walls, and traces of the builders remained forever in the mortar. No running water, no sewerage, no toilets. Only a single light bulb hangs from the ceiling.
But when someone tells a woman named Zaira Dovletbayeva about the thousands of missing people, her eyes widen and she looks back at the reporter sent by Kadyrov's press office.
"No," she answers quietly and quickly, without taking her eyes off the Kadyrov man, "there are no missing people."
Today is the graduation ceremony at the Kadyrov school. This secondary school opened its doors recently, and today it bears the name of the most famous clan in Chechnya. All 1400 students are invited to the celebration. Russian rock music blares in the corridors, and girls and boys from senior classes with red ribbons over their shoulders pose for photographers. The girls have stiletto heels on their feet, makeup is generously applied to their faces, and large earrings in their ears under scarves. Like everything else in Grozny, this school is very clean and has a lot in common with Kadyrov. Scraps of bright bursting balloons are scattered in the schoolyard, uneven from shell funnels. On the wall is a poster that reads: "He alone managed to save us all. A worthy son of a worthy father."
The principal of the school is sitting in his office. Her table is littered with cakes, sweets and fresh fruit. She loves the President. According to her, he is not afraid to do the "dirty work". "We ordinary people are very, very grateful to him," she says, "because he made our dreams come true."
She recently took a group of her best alumni to meet the president.
“That day I realized that he is a real youth leader,” the director says, “I saw the eyes of the children, they were full of admiration. I then thought: they will do everything he tells them.”