Tag: Chechnya

Putin’s Effort to Prevent Terrorism at Sochi Games Backfiring Now in Middle East and Caucasus

March 21, 2016

Moscow Wants to Block Those Suspected of Extremism from Leaving the Country 2016-03-22 19:58:24 Staunton, VA, March 21, 2016 – For five centuries, Russian leaders have been obsessed about emigres, defectors and others who have gone abroad and broken with the Russian regime, fearful of the ability of such people to influence Russians within Russia and […]

Opposition Activist Natalia Pelevine Taken For Questioning By Investigative Committee

March 10, 2016

LIVE UPDATES: Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous issue is here. Recent Analysis and Translations: – Aurangzeb, Putin, Realism and a Lesson from History – – Why the World Should Care About the Assassination of […]

The Briefing: Kadyrov’s Power Play

February 29, 2016

Almost no one believes that the offer Ramzan Kadyrov made this weekend to step down is on the level. So what is the wily Chechen leader up to? On this week’s Power Vertical Briefing, we unpack Kadyrov’s announcement. Joining me are RFE/RL Senior Editor Steve Gutterman and Pavel Butorin, managing editor of RFE/RL’s Russian-language television program Current Time. Also […]

Kadyrov Again Blocks Commemoration of Deportation Anniversary

February 23, 2016

Russians Adjust to Increasing Poverty like Frogs to Gradually Warming Water, Kirillova Says 2016-02-23 18:31:57 Staunton, VA, February 23, 2016 — It has long been claimed that a frog who might jump out of a port of boiling water will stay quietly in a gradually warming pot, even though as a result, he will end up dead. […]

The Briefing: Exposing Kadyrov

February 22, 2016

Chechnya’s mercurial leader Ramzan Kadyrov will be back in the news this week as the first anniversary of Boris Nemtsov’s assassination approaches and Russia’s opposition prepares to release a lengthy report on his activities. On this week’s Power Vertical Briefing, we look at the likely impact of opposition leader Ilya Yashin’s upcoming report, titled National Security […]

Opposition Activist Yashin to Release Report on Kadyrov’s 30,000-Strong ‘Personal Army’

LIVE UPDATES: An opposition report based on both open sources and the testimony of sources who fear revealing their names details the alarming growth of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s “personal army” to 30,000 men and the atmosphere of intimidation that reigns in the republic. Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely […]

Chechen Government Walks Back Kadyrov’s Hint That Spetsnaz Fight in Syria; Says They’re Volunteers

February 9, 2016

LIVE UPDATES: Although Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov implied that Chechen spetsnaz had infiltrated ISIS, the Chechen government walked this back today, saying there were only Chechen volunteers in Syria. Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous […]

Kadyrov, Putin and the Desensitization of Russia

Kadyrov, Putin and the Desensitization of Russia 2016-02-09 06:37:59 Staunton, VA, February 1, 2016 – Each day seems to bring a fresh outrage from Ramzan Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin and their ilk, an outrage many dutifully denounce without connecting the dots and seeing the ways in which this drip-by-drip set of actions is making Russians and indeed many […]

A Million Rally in Support of Chechen Leader Kadyrov, Protesting Against Russian Opposition and West

January 22, 2016

LIVE UPDATES: About a million people rallied in Grozny in support of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, calling the Russian opposition “traitors.” Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous issue is here. Recent Translations: –The Non-Hybrid War […]