[Interview with [Chechen First Vice Premier] Ramzan Kadyrov by Irina Kuksenkova, datelined Tsentoroy-Moscow; date not specified: "The Heir. Ramzan Kadyrov in Exclusive Interview with Moskovskiy Komsomolets: 'I Always Wanted To Secure Freedom for Myself and All My Fellow Countrymen'" -- taken from HTML version of source provided by ISP]
Tsentoroy-Moscow -- [passage omitted comprising introductory paragraphs] "Ramzan Kadyrov will give Moskovskiy Komsomolets an interview. At his home in Tsentoroy," I was told during a telephone call from an official in the Chechen president's security service.
He met me in the evening at Mineralnyye Vody Airport. [passage omitted on journey to Tsentoroy, describing Ramzan Kadyrov's home, noting Kadyrov's preliminary remarks about his love for Groznyy, hopes for Chechnya]
[Kuksenkova] Let us return to recent events in Ingushetia. Why did the gunmen attack Nazran, what statement did they want make in doing this?
[Kadyrov] They did not want to make any statement. They needed weapons, they took them and off they went.
That is logical... This blunder represents weakness on the part of the Ingushetian leadership. Devils [shaytany] are at work there in the police (Ramzan describes "corrupt cops" as devils -- author's note). A conference of Caucasus peoples was recently held in Sochi and attended by Putin. At the time I told [Ingushetian President] Murat Zyazikov: Get a move on, there are said to be many devils in your republic, we have begun seeing similar sentiments and movements from you. He said that he would work on it... None of the republics in the Caucasus wants anarchy at home. After all, where there are Wahhabites, there is always bloodshed, that is written in the Koran. This happened in Ingushetia due to breaches in state structures. And the same thing will happen in Dagestan. They have loads of devils there. In Chechnya the gunmen do not have many opportunities at present because we have really piled the pressure on them. And we have good leaders now.
[Kuksenkova] Which gunmen attacked Nazran that night?
[Kadyrov] "Magas" (that is his call sign) was in command, Zaid was there, there was an Arab Abu-Umar, and Basayev... But Basayev is not a Chechen. His father was an Ossetian or an Avar. And, pardon me for saying so, that is not a Chechen. There is no need to say "Chechens," "Ingush," "Russians," or "Americans": A bandit is a bandit even in Africa. What is more, it is you journalists who have castigated the Chechens. I do not actually like Moscow journalists. Many of them lie and are corrupt. Some of them are trying to foment war in our republic themselves. Tell me, can you see a war? You write the stories. I have tried to explain the situation, I have gotten tired of arguing the point. I do not pay attention to the press now. We are simply not left in peace, Chechens are set against one another. You yourselves do not do the killing, but you incite us to bloodshed. Now I will read Moskovskiy Komsomolets... Certainly.
[Kuksenkova] Is it true that you are courting [NTV presenter] Aset Vatsuyeva?
[Kadyrov] Asey? That is news to me! We will call Mrs. Vatsuyeva now and she will tell you about our relationship. Hello, Asiyat? Hi! How are things? I wanted to ask you something... It is being said that I am courting you. What do you think about that? [Kadyrov ends]
Ramzan put the phone to my ear -- Aset gave a peal of laughter.
[Vatsuyeva] He dumped me a long time ago.
[Kadyrov] Asya is a smart woman, he said turning to me. An example of a real Chechen woman. We are all proud of her... There is no force more powerful than a woman. All her strength lies in her weakness.
[Kuksenkova] Why are you backing Alu Alkhanov in the upcoming election?
[Kadyrov] Because he is an astute, wise, competent politician, a very interesting individual, a man of his word, generally speaking, a real Chechen. Alu has inside knowledge of Chechnya's problems, he knows what our people want. He has always lived and worked in Chechnya. Admittedly, he was in Rostov when the first campaign began until the end of the military operations. He fought for Russia. And at the time we were fighting against Russia.
[Kuksenkova] When did you become acquainted with Alkhanov, under what circumstances?
[Kadyrov] I first saw him in 2000 in Gudermes. And I became more closely acquainted with him in 2001. An interesting situation occurred when we were stopped by Russian military at a checkpoint and they did not let us go because we were Chechens. A minor skirmish occurred. Alkhanov drove up and...settled the conflict. He negotiated and made peace. We drove off calmly. When he was appointed minister of internal affairs, the whole Kadyrov team that was engaged in fighting Wahhabites backed him. Especially since he also had the backing of the Kremlin. Plus, we are also very good friends with him.
[Kuksenkova] Do you have no desire personally to hold the post of Chechen president?
[Kadyrov] To be honest, no. Let everyone do his job. I will be a better soldier defending my people -- I will fight the terrorists. Right now I am not thinking about the presidency, I may change my mind when I approach the age when I can be elected, once I am 35, but not now...
[Kuksenkova] How you see the Russian troops' role in Chechnya in the future?
[Kadyrov] I do not see them having any role. They have helped out and I thank them for that. Now let them go back home. We will sort things out ourselves in the future. [passage omitted on interruption to water, European soccer championship final]
Ramzan is head of the Chechen president's security service and he is very strict on discipline. All 60 personnel are neatly dressed and armed to the teeth: A bulletproof vest, submachinegun, pile of spare ammunition, and dagger are standard kit for Kadyrov's men. Ramzan explained that people are selected not on the clan principle or on the basis of any physical attributes. The main thing is for a man to be high-minded. And able to shoot...
[Kadyrov] We do not need culture vultures or iron pumpers. It is completely unimportant how many chin-ups or press-ups a man can do. We recruit real soldiers and they can only be people who really love their motherland and give their all to it. And also have excellent human qualities. [Kadyrov ends]
According to Ramzan, the Kadyrovites' main task is to defend the people, wage war on Wahhabites and mujahidin, and safeguard the president. The servicemen train at Kadyrov's boxing club. They constantly "maintain their physical fitness and are always in a state of full combat readiness, they take part in various special operations to eliminate illegal bandit formations and free prisoners of war and hostages." There are Kadyrovites in virtually every region of Chechnya, they live in special barracks.
[Kadyrov] Virtually all our guys have fought Russia in the past. For us the Chechen people are what we hold most dear. The people have said: Do battle with Russia. That is what we have done. Now the people have said: Wage war on the mujahidin. So, we are smashing the mujahidin. If they tell us to fight Russians again, we will do their bidding. [Kadyrov ends]
If you see a nine-series vehicle in Chechnya without registration plates, it is almost certainly a vehicle belonging to the president's security service. A detachment of Kadyrovites recently received new weapons. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has allocated the unit pistols, Kalashnikov improved assault rifles, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, machineguns, grenades, and even armored personnel carriers.
Kadyrov's spetsnaz are a composite detachment. All its men are at the same time the staff of state organs, either the FSB [Federal Security Service], the MVD, or the Main Intelligence Directorate. But they meanwhile come under the jurisdiction of the republic's president alone, no one else.
The troops are dressed in camouflage gear or black boiler suits bearing the inscription "Kadyrov spetsnaz." All this is bought in ordinary stores or at the market and emblazoned as they see fit.
[Kuksenkova] The police and federal forces are said not to like you...
[Kadyrov] Everyone likes us. Those who do not like us do not last long in Chechnya. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. That is all there is to it... [Kadyrov ends]
A new special regiment of 900 men named for Akhmat Kadyrov will come into operation in a month. The men of the new detachment will have a photo of Akhmat-khadzhi on their shoulder and an inscription "Let Justice Prevail."
[Kadyrov] The men will be short, smart, and agile. A sniper can easily take out tall men. In wartime you need to be inconspicuous... [Kadyrov ends]
Our interview ended with the soccer. Ramzan got up and drove off on some urgent state business in the midst of which the elimination of a gang of Wahhabites seemed an ordinary, routine event. [passage omitted on return journey]
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