FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION TO RECEIVE MAJORITY OF RESTORATION FUNDS.

The online daily Gazeta.ru reported on July 27 that “President Putin has decided to give Akhmad Kadyrov, the [pro-Moscow] head of the Chechen Civil Administration, the lion’s share of the money allocated for the restoration of the war-torn republic. Kadyrov is to receive some US$400 million which he must spend before the end of the year.” Kadyrov was reported to be very happy, and he promised to spend the money on “important projects.” The previous day, Putin had received Kadyrov at the Kremlin. Following their meeting, Putin signed a decree “on the order of the delimiting of state property on the territory of the Chechen Republic,” which served to release the funds to Kadyrov and his administration (RIA Novosti and Strana.ru, July 26).