Ramzan Kadyrov, a onetime Islamist insurgent who became head of the Chechen Republic in 2007, gave an interview to Russian media on Monday in which he congratulated himself for a job well done and said it might be time to retire.
“I think that the time has come. Previously, there was a need for the likes of me—to fight wars, to bring order. But today we have order, respect, and understanding in society and in Russia. This is manifested, first of all, by the fact that we are recognized as Russian citizens,” said Kadyrov.
Kadyrov described Russian President Vladimir Putin as his “idol” and said he is “ready to die for him, to fulfill any order,” including an order to step aside. Such an order does not see to be forthcoming. Sky News reports that “the Kremlin, which backs Kadyrov’s regime with generous subsidies and allows it a wide degree of autonomy, played down talk of him quitting.”
“The outspoken leader came under international pressure earlier this year amid allegations that more than 100 gay men had been locked up and tortured in Chechnya,” Sky News continues, noting that Kadyrov responded to those allegations by saying there are no gay people in Chechnya, and if any were found, he would ship them to Canada.
The UK Guardian adds that Kadyrov has also been accused of “arbitrary arrests and torture of opponents” by human rights organizations, and speculates that he might be something of a political liability for Putin in his own re-election campaign next year, although Putin remains the heavy favorite to win. Kadyrov’s talk of resignation might be an effort to create a little political space for Putin, or perhaps a ruse to position Kadyrov as the tired, reluctant leader who stays in office only because the people (and his idol Vladimir Putin) demand it.
Russia’s RT.com cites polling that shows Kadyrov retains the support of 69 percent of Russians, with only 13 percent disapproval.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.