Chechnya has celebrated its Women's Day

The celebrations in honour of the Day of Chechen Women, established last year by President Ramzan Kadyrov, are over in Chechnya.

Under Ramzan Kadyrov's order, on September 19, public buses in Grozny and other cities transported women free of charge; the women aged 100 received valuable gifts. Mothers and wives of the members of the local government also received congratulations and gifts.

The main holiday celebrations took place in Grozny, the Chechen capital: a concert and awarding the name of the legendary Dain Aybii, a Chechen girl who died in the 19th century defending Dadi-Yurt village from tsarist troops, to one of the central streets of the city.

In honour of the holiday, Ramzan Kadyrov also ordered to pay 1000 US dollars to every family, where a girl will be born from midnight on September 19 till midnight on September 20, who will be named by her parents as Aibika, Zhansiga, Zaza, Taimaskha, Zainap, Petimat or Aimani (name of Ramzan's mother). The first three names belonged to the girls who perished while defending Dadi-Yurt, while Taimaskha, a resident of Gekhi village, in the 19th century for almost ten years headed a Chechens' regiment, which waged war on tsarist troops.

According to the spokesman of the republic's government, on that day over 10,000 presents were prepared for local women; and a book was published in honour of this holiday named "Constellation-2" and containing stories and essays about the most famous Chechen women who lived in the 18th-21st centuries.

Meanwhile, for most women the local Women's Day was as usual. "It was a holiday for mothers, wives, sisters and relatives of our leaders and ministers: they received money and gifts, bouquets of roses, medals and a concert under protection of militiamen; and for us - just a free travel by bus. This is the way they understand a nationwide holiday here," said Kakha D., a woman from Grozny, on the occasion.

According to Lisa T., a former school teacher in Grozny, "at the background of mass unemployment, bribery, nepotism and thefts, such holidays look like 'feast amidst the plague'."