The rapid resettlement of flood victims in Chechnya has raised doubts about the quality of new homes.

Chechnya's authorities reported completing construction of houses for flood victims in less than a month and a half, although high-quality construction of brick cottages typically takes at least several months. Residents have many complaints about the quality of such housing, an activist reported.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," 143 houses have been built in Novy Benoy and Gudermes for families whose homes were destroyed during the flood. About 800 people will be relocated to them. Ramzan Kadyrov announced the start of construction of these houses on March 30. Residents of Chechnya whose property was damaged are still waiting for compensation, a reader of the "Caucasian Knot" reported.

The timeframe for constructing new homes for Chechen residents who lost their homes as a result of the flooding has raised questions among industry experts about the quality of the work: the houses were erected in less than six weeks. Experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" watched two videos about construction, released by Chechen authorities on April 9 and May 1.

While technologies for building houses quickly exist in theory, in practice, a month and a half is not enough time to erect brick structures, according to Alexander Dubovenko, manager of the construction company GOODWOOD.

"Brick houses are being built there, and it's impossible to build such houses in a month and a half. If you really try, you can do it in three months, but four to five months is more realistic," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

A representative of the Dagestan Union of Builders, in turn, considered it possible to build high-quality housing in a short timeframe using modern technologies. "For example, the same foundation now doesn't require the long drying time it used to – 28 days for the concrete to fully harden. "And it's not necessary to achieve full strength there; the loads there are light, since they were built as single-story houses," he said.

According to the specialist, modern concrete additives can significantly reduce the curing time. "They are added to speed up the setting. The mixtures and cement are different now, their compositions have also changed. Most likely, they were tested before applying the load, because if the foundation is empty, the house will collapse," explained a representative of the Dagestan Union of Builders.

The "lightning-fast" construction of houses for flood victims in Chechnya is organized primarily for show, and not to quickly help people, says Chechen activist Islam Belokiev*.

"This is primarily a political and media project to show everyone that in the republic, supposedly, any problems are solved quickly and effectively. In reality, many people in Chechnya wait on housing waiting lists for years and never receive housing. Even among those affected, not all receive full compensation. And those who do receive housing often find that their new property is smaller than the one they lost and located in less prestigious areas," Belokiev* explained.

Such high construction rates, in his opinion, almost always impact quality. "They use the cheapest possible materials, skimping on foundations, utility systems, electrical wiring, ventilation, and water supply. Required construction deadlines, including building settlement, are often not met. As a result, cracks, dampness, mold, and heating and electrical problems appear within a short time. There are also many complaints about the interior quality of such houses: crooked walls, poor layout, inconvenient room placement (for example, a toilet in the kitchen), and poor quality finishing. "The savings can even extend to reinforcing the foundation and reinforcing the concrete belts, which directly impacts the safety and durability of the building," the activist noted. He recalled that the construction is being financed by budget funds, but the republic's leaders, when providing new homes to the victims, present them as their own personal contribution. "They're primarily talking about government programs and budget funds, but it's presented as if the housing was personally donated by government officials." "Therefore, this whole story largely looks like a pretty facade and a report for television, rather than a systemic solution to the population's housing problems," Belokiev* concluded.

Floods caused by torrential rains began in the North Caucasus at the end of March and have become some of the most destructive in recent years. Dagestan and Chechnya suffered the most from the disaster, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Spring Flooding in the North Caucasus - 2026." The "Caucasian Knot" has compiled materials about flooding in the republics of the North Caucasus Federal District in the spring of 2026 on the thematic page "Flooding in the North Caucasus".