Chechen residents are afraid of possible clashes between Kadyrov's and Yamadaevs' adherents

The murder of ex-deputy of Russian Duma Ruslan Yamadaev can lead to serious clashes between those who support President Kadyrov and their opponents from the Yamadaev clan.

"Sulim Yamadaev and his younger brother Badruddi have been announced into search and were not present at the funeral of their elder brother. I think it'll embitter them even more and strengthen their thirst for vengeance. <...> Anyway, but the demonstrative murder of Ruslan Yamadaev can catalyze an outburst of violence between Kadyrov's and Yamadaevs' supporters," said one of local political scientists.

"From the last week on, the house of the Yamadaevs in Gudermes was taken under guard by militaries from the 'Vostok' (East) battalion. In my opinion, it indicates that in spite of the fact that Sulim was likely to have been dismissed officially, he is still perceived by his former subordinates as their commander. By doing so, the 'Vostok' militaries have demonstrated their support to the Yamadaevs, despite the fact that the authorities openly treat them as criminals. The situation is far from being as simple as many people think," said Bekhan Amaev, a resident of Gudermes, the second largest city of Chechnya, the patrimony of Yamadaev brothers and disposition of the base of the special-purpose "Vostok" battalion, which subordinates to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff (the so-called GRU).

"Both Kadyrov and Yamadaevs have sound support in Moscow, and it's unknown yet whom Moscow will prefer to 'play fool of': Ramzan who is disliked by power agents, or Sulim who has approved himself both in fighting armed underground in Chechnya and in recent events in South Ossetia <...> Here, rumours were spread earlier that the third war campaign is inevitable, and I'm afraid we're on its threshold," Mr Amaev was convinced.

According to the "Kommersant", Hero of Russia Sulim Yamadaev, former commander of the "Vostok" special-purpose battalion, has stated that he does not believe that President Ramzan Kadyrov has anything to do with his brother Ruslan's murder.

"Many people tell me that it was done by Ramzan. But I don't want to believe that Ramzan could ever choose to order the murder of the members of my family," said Sulim Yamadaev. In the opinion of the ex-commander of the "Vostok", his brother was killed with the aim "to knock together" himself and Kadyrov.

According to the version of Chechen President, numerous Yamadaevs' blood avengers stand behind the murder of the former Duma deputy. "I'm confident by 80-90 percent that the murder could be on motives of blood feud. Sulim Yamadaev was involved in numerous kidnappings of peaceful citizens with the aim to get ransom, and we have operative data that those who were not bought out were executed by him," said Mr Kadyrov.