Political analysts believe Zakriev to be Kadyrov's successor

In future, Yakub Zakriev, 26, may take the post of the head of Chechnya, said the political analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" on the occasion of the appointment of Zakriev, Ramzan Kadyrov's nephew, to the post of Deputy Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 14 Yakub Zakriev, the acting head of the secretariat of the head of the republic, was appointed as First Deputy Chairman of the Chechen government.

Zakriev's appointment to the post of First Vice-Premier "was lobbied personally by Ramzan Kadyrov," Alexei Malashenko, a member of the Scientific Council of the Moscow Carnegie Centre, is confident.

"In this way, Kadyrov strengthens his vertical of power in Chechnya by means of his relatives; he wants his clan to preserve the power in Chechnya," Mr Malashenko told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, adding that in future, Yakub Zakriev may become Kadyrov's successor as the head of Chechnya.

This viewpoint was supported by Andrei Serenko, the chairman of the expert council of the Research Foundation of Electoral Policy.

"We see a start of the operation named 'Successor'. The power in the republic will be inherited; and the head must be of Kadyrov's clan. Yakub Zakriev is Kadyrov's successor as the head of Chechnya," Mr Serenko told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, suggesting that the upcoming election of the head of Chechnya "will be won by Kadyrov, but later he will need replacement."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.