Paul Goble
Staunton, August 19 – Ramzan Kadyrov
has divided his republic into eight “sectors” and named close relatives and
associates to head them in an apparent effort to ensure that his regime can
control the situation even more tightly than it does now – and perhaps in an indication
that his control of the republic is not as complete as advertised.
It is not clear what the proximate
cause for his decision is (checheninfo.ru/219539-chechnja-chechnju-razdelili-na-vosem-sektorov-.html and kavkazr.com/a/30117063.html). Former
Daghestan head Ramazan Abdulatipov made a similar move in his republic in 2013 ostensibly
to improve information flows (chernovik.net/content/lenta-novostey/ramazan-abdulatipov-podpisal-ukaz-o-perechne-territorialnyh-okrugov).
When Abdulatipov made this move,
some speculated that he was simply copying Vladimir Putin’s decision to divide
up the Russian Federation into federal districts; and it is possible that
Kadyrov may also be aping Moscow, perhaps in the hopes of currying favor with the
Kremlin.
It may also be that he views this
arrangement as opening the way for the further territorial expansion of the
republic or is simply acting impulsively as he often does. But barring further evidence, the fact that
he is choosing to rely on an even narrower circle of family and friends
suggests that this latest move is all about the need to enhance his control of
the situation.
Relying on relatives is a
longstanding tradition especially in the North Caucasus: they can usually be
counted on to be more loyal than anyone else. But relying on them alone is a
sign of weakness in that it means the leader involved, in this case, Kadyrov,
doesn’t have the loyalty of a broader circle on whom he can count.
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