21 March 2022, 23:57
Kadyrov’s statement about a thousand volunteers in Ukraine raises doubts about veracity of his words
Some of the Chechen law enforcers, whom Ramzan Kadyrov declared to be voluntary participants in the special military operation in Ukraine, agreed to the action under pressure, human rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina and Caucasian expert Ruslan Kutaev suggested.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on March 17, Ramzan Kadyrov announced that a thousand volunteers from Chechnya went to participate in the special military operation in Ukraine, and they were led by Apti Alaudinov, an aide to the leader of Chechnya, “an experienced fighter, an excellent coordinator.”
In March 2021, Apti Alaudinov was dismissed from the post of Deputy Interior Minister of Chechnya after a wide public outcry caused by a post in the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” with a story of a former fighter of the Akhmat Kadyrov special-purpose police regiment, who became an eyewitness to extrajudicial executions in Chechnya. Apti Alaudinov personally persecuted dissidents on trumped-up charges and intimidated critics of the authorities, and in connection with his activities he is known as a cruel person, human rights defenders say.
The public is not being given any information concerning whether residents of Chechnya can refuse to participate in the special military operation in Ukraine, notes Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the “Civic Assistance” Committee*. According to the human rights defender, in case of refusal, people may be subjected to persecution.
All the residents of Chechnya who left for Ukraine cannot be considered volunteers, believes Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations. According to his version, Apti Alaudinov did not make a choice of his own free will.
* The organization is included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the register of NCOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 21, 2022 at 05:00 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: CK correspondent
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