Chechnya’s Kadyrov Will Never Be 'a Second Dudayev,' Gurov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, November 1 – Some have expressed concern that Chechnya’s Ramzan Kadyrov, having achieved so much de facto autonomy, will take the next step and declare his republic independent. But Aleksandr Gurov, a former lieutenant general in the Russian militia and now Duma deputy, says there is no chance “Kadyrov will become a second Dudayev.”

            He draws that conclusion on the basis of his analysis of what has happened in Chechnya since Moscow sent in the Russian army in December 1994, an action that he describes as “not simply an error or a poorly planned adventure” but as “a real crime” (versia.ru/general-gurov-o-prichinax-i-posledstviyax-chechenskoj-kampanii).

            Not only could the war have been avoided, Gurov continues, but it should have been because it cost Russia so much standing internationally. That should have been obvious to the leadership at the time; but if it was, that conclusion was ignored and at great cost over the ensuring years.

            Moscow made a better choice later when it supported Akhmat Kadyrov and then his son, Ramzan, the retired general and Duma deputy says. “But what was the other possibility? Ruslan Khasbulatov? I remember Ruslan Imranovich as an intelligent economist and a very pleasant man, but among Chechens, one must admit, he did not enjoy popularity: for them, he was more a Russian than a Chechen.”

            What about Alu Alkhanov? Gurov asks. “He also was a respected and worthy man, an interior ministry general. But for the Chechens, he again all the same was not one of their one. They not without basis considered that Alkhanov would work above all for Moscow.”

            “But Akhmat Kadyrov was one of their own because he himself had fought against the federal center but then, as was the case with many others understand that this war had no sense because if it were to continue, the Chechens as a people would simply be destroyed, although individual clans might be able to survive.”

            That is why the anti-Moscow Chechens killed him. “After his death came Ramzan Kadyrov whom I by the way respect,” the Russian Duma deputy says.  He has turned out to be “a very strong political figure who today defends the interests of Russia.” Many liberals complain about the subsidies he is given but that aid is “justified.”

            “It is my profound conviction,” he continues, “that Ramzan Kadyrov will neve become a Dudayev. Ramzan arose in Russian politics and the state structure and became its recognized statesman. That is how he will go down in history.”  And he has a large role to play yet in fighting international terrorism.

            Not only does Ramzan Kadyrov have “enormous experience in fighting terrorists,” Gurov concludes, “he has 80,000 prepared fighters” under his control; and “all of them are Muslims which is extremely important because besides bullets and shells, it will take real Islam to oppose the terrorists.”