11 March 2022, 22:49
Abolition of anti-COVID restrictions underscores radicalism of Chechen authorities
The complete abolition of anti-COVID restrictions in Chechnya, announced by Ramzan Kadyrov against the backdrop of easing in other regions of Southern Russia, became a manifestation of the same zeal with which the mask regime was imposed in the republic at the beginning of the pandemic.
Ramzan Kadyrov explained the cancellation of all anti-COVID restrictions as the result of the Chechen authorities’ successful fight against the coronavirus.
The beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 was met by officials of the Chechen authorities with original statements. Djambulat Umarov, then Minister for National Policy, said that the coronavirus would not take root in the republic because it was afraid of the aroma of wild garlic. Ramzan Kadyrov himself talked about the inevitability of death and added that a drink with honey and lemon would help to avoid infection with the coronavirus.
But after the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Chechnya on March 24, 2020, Ramzan Kadyrov equated violators of the quarantine regime with terrorists and called for severe punishment for them.
On April 3, 2020, a curfew was in fact introduced in Chechnya, and on April 5, the authorities banned all types of transport from entering the republic.
At the same time, Ramzan Kadyrov and his associates, with rare exceptions, ignored the strict requirements for wearing masks that were introduced for ordinary residents of the republic.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 11, 2022 at 05:38 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: Caucasian Knot
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