Oreshkin: Russia pays high to Chechnya for its imperial mentality

A couple of days are left till Ramzan Kadyrov's inauguration. Today, foreign newspapers write that this day will become the mourning day for all human rights activists in the world. In their opinion, a man involved in many crimes is becoming the official leader of Chechnya. Political scientists think that nowadays president of Chechnya is playing a cunning game dangerous for the Kremlin, which can finally result in unpredictable consequences.

We remind you that on March 21 Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, who was then in Moscow, announced the intention of the Republic's leadership to reject signing a power-division treaty with the federal centre. In other words, he officially gave up his country's sovereignty. Some days later, a new action followed: Mr. Kadyrov requested 18 billion roubles from the federal centre to help "the victims of political repressions," and also 10 billion roubles annually. Dmitri Oreshkin, a well-known political scientist, told the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" about the game this time played by Mr. Kadyrov.

"Kadyrov has encroached on all the administrative and power leverages in the Republic. Now he shows to his people that he is a real 'dzhigit' (cowboy) and is able to knock money out of Kremlin 'money sack' in support of his regional elites (not of his people as it is quoted everywhere)," Mr. Oreshkin says.

By various estimates, now the president of Chechnya gets from one to two billion US dollars from the federal centre annually. And money comes in two flows - both "white," and directly "from hand to hand." Besides, now his right is discussed on development of the oil deposits available in the Republic, which may bring another billion US dollars into the budget of Chechnya per year.

"Having taken a tough stand, Kadyrov now tries to knock 18 billion roubles more and ten billion roubles per year as sponsor's help out of the federal centre. That is, he understands that the centre is dependent on him, that the centre has nobody to rely on, that should any alternative figure appear, the whole power structure built by Kadyrov will collapse and Chechnya will be thrown into chaos again. Moscow won't be happy, therefore he cajoles payment for his loyalty," Dmitri Oreshkin explains.