Kadyrov Gives Zyazikov “Brotherly” Advice

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov said in an interview with Komsomolskaya pravda published on September 10 that he is ready to help “impose order” in Ingushetia. Asked if it was possible to impose order in Ingushetia the way it was done in Chechnya, Kadyrov answered: “No problem. Especially if we are given the order, we will impose order as surely as two times two makes four. It is only a small republic.” Asked how he would do it, Kadyrov replied: “By imprisoning the criminals and eliminating the bandits. Everybody there knows who they are. Can it be difficult?” All that is needed, he said, is an order from the “supreme commander in chief” – an apparent reference to President Vladimir Putin. Kadyrov also said that “those who catch criminals in Ingushetia” need to remove their masks. “We fight criminals without wearing masks,” he said. “We are not afraid of them. But they are afraid of us. I would advise [Ingush President] Murat [Zyazikov] to work more with the people and task his law-enforcement agencies more toughly – no compromise with bandits! If Murat does that, there will be order.”

Kadyrov denied that he had “quarreled” with Zyazikov, but he admitted that his relationship with the Ingush president at present consists of little more than “an exchange of formal greetings.” He insisted, however, that Chechens and Ingush are “brothers” and that Zyazikov is his “brother.” Kadyrov added: “And we are ready to give our brothers assistance and support in any situation. And nobody and nothing will break our bonds.” When the Komsomolskaya pravda interviewer, Aleksandr Gamov, noted, “But you no longer dance the Lezginka [folk dance] with brother Murat,” Kadyrov replied: “Yes, it is a long time since we have danced the Lezginka. If we impose order there, we will dance.”

Earlier this month, Kadyrov said Chechnya had “accumulated significant experience in the fight against international terrorism” and stood “ready to render aid to fraternal Ingushetia” (Chechnya Weekly, September 6). Some observers believe Kadyrov is seeking to impose a political merger on Ingushetia (Chechnya Weekly, June 14 and May 24).