Contents tagged with Chechnya

  • Media: Over a hundred homosexual men detained in Russia’s Republic of Chechnya

    More than a hundred men suspected of homosexuality were detained in Chechnya in recent weeks. Some of them have been killed, reports Novaya Gazeta.

    Among the detainees are representatives of the Chechen muftiate, including prominent, influential and religious leaders close to the head of the republic, as well as two well-known Chechen TV personalities.

    According to the publication, the information is confirmed by "an unprecedentedly large number of sources," including local LGBT activists, as …

  • Chechen military police battalion has returned from Syria

    TASS news agency reported that the Chechen military police have returned home from Syria. The battalion was in Aleppo for three months, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said.

    "You carried out the protection of military facilities, ensured the safety of the peaceful population of Syria during humanitarian actions, supported public order in the streets and squares of Aleppo," the Head of the republic said at a rally in honor of the soldiers' return, and added that the Chechen military successfully …

  • A Russian national guard unit was attacked in Chechnya

    Russia’s TASS news agency reported, citing the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAK) of Russia’s FSB, that a National Guard unit stationed in the Naursky District of the Chechen Republic was attacked by militants.

    According to FSB, six National Guard soldiers were killed. "There are also wounded soldiers," FSB representatives reported.

    The NAK indicated that on Friday morning at approximately 2:30 am, a group of six militants attacked a National Guard unit in a rural area of Naurskaya in …

  • Media: Residents of Chechen capital were forced to take part in a rally dedicated to the annexation of the Crimea

    Residents of Grozny said that they were forced to participate in a rally dedicated to the third anniversary of the annexation of the Crimea. The Caucasian Knot online news site did the main coverage for the story.

    "This was another 'obligatory' event. The rally took place in the center of the city, next to the 'Press House.’ We were handed flags of Russia and Chechnya, as well as United Russia banners. We had to stay at the rally for more than an hour," an employee of one of the local agencies, …

  • Kadyrov admits that Chechen special forces operate in Syria

    Chechen soldiers sent to Aleppo must "make contact" with the population of Syria, said the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, during TV program "Pravda Gurnova" (“Gurnov’s Truth”) on Russia's NTV TV channel.

    "They not only have the theory, but also the experience. They know how to identify, know how to find a common language with the people. Based on this, they were chosen in keeping with the work that has been carried out,” he said.

    According to him, before they to go to Syria, …

  • Media: Chechen security forces detained all who drank alcohol on New Year's eve in Grozny

    In Grozny, on New Year's eve, anti-alcohol raids were conducted in cafes and restaurants. The security forces detained all who drank alcohol, Grozny residents told the Caucasian Knot news website.

    "On the eve of January 1st, my friends and I were in a cafe in Grozny, gathered to celebrate the holiday. Suddenly the police stormed in and they detained three men, who were sitting at a table next to us and were drinking alcohol. Fortunately, we did not have any alcohol, otherwise, we would have to …

  • Chechen leadership created two battalions for deployment to Syria

    Novaya Gazeta has reported that Chechen leadership was tasked with the creation of two battalions (600 servicemen in each) to deploy to Syria. The State Duma Deputy from Chechnya, Adam Delimkhanov, is responsible for the implementation of this task. According to Novaya Gazeta’s sources, the recruitment of personnel for these battalions has been ongoing for several months.

    The staff of the Shchyolkovsky department of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs provided the details of one of the …

  • Media: Female employees of state institutions in Chechnya are forced to wear hijabs at work

    Women working in public institutions in Russia’s Republic of Chechnya are now required to work in headwear that completely covers the hair and forehead, however, this order was only given verbally, Kavkaz Uzel news portal reports.

    "Now you need to wear a hijab to work, it is mandatory to wear a headband and a big scarf, so that the hair could not be seen. In the past it was only required to wear just shawls and head scarves, but now the hijab is required. This applies to all women working in …

  • Russian-Chechen special forces to deploy to Syria

    Special forces from Russia’s Republic of Chechnya have been deployed to Syria where they are tasked with protecting Russia’s Khmeimim air base in the province of Latakia, Izvestia reported.

    The “East” and “West” special forces units of the Russian Ministry of Defense, which are based in Chechnya, were created in 2003, and are informally known simply as the Chechen special forces.

    The special forces units have extensive combat experience in both mountainous and urban areas, the former being …

  • Kadyrov proposes shooting 'violators of the peace'

    The Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, proposed executing the violators of peace in the Republic at the meeting of the regional Government, Novaya Gazeta wrote. “Those who disturb peace in the Chechen Republic should be shot to hell. It doesn’t matter if it’s the law or not. If the issue concerns security, shoot the violators. Do you understand? As-salamu alaykum and everything is fine. That is what we call the law!” Ramzan Kadyrov said.

    Novaya Gazeta quoted Kadyrov exactly from the …