Chechen officials neglect US sanctions

Ruslan Alkhanov, Chechen Minister of Internal Affairs, invited the United States to include all Chechen policemen in the US sanctions list. The Chechen Minister's proposal demonstrates his allegiance to Ramzan Kadyrov, who is also under the US sanctions, local residents suggest. Instagram users ironically commented on the sanctions imposed by the US Department of State.

On December 11, Ruslan Alkhanov, Minister of Internal Affairs in Chechnya, reacted to the US sanctions imposed against Aslan Iraskhanov, the chief of the Grozny Department of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). Ruslan Alkhanov invited the US Department of State to include all Chechen policemen in the US sanctions list.

Subordinates of Ramzan Kadyrov do not take the US sanctions seriously, some residents of Chechnya suggest. "On the contrary, the inclusion in the US sanctions list raises officials' status in the eyes of the republic's leaders," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was explained by Umar, a Chechen NGO activist.

"Moreover, Chechen officials treat as an honour to be under the US sanctions like their chief," confirms Aslan, a resident of Chechnya.

Earlier, political analysts have noted that the US sanctions cannot create any problems for Ramzan Kadyrov, and his popularity in Russia and the Middle East can only grow due to the inclusion in the US sanctions list.