Townspeople in Grozny complain of inconvenience caused by strengthened security measures

Today Chechnya will host the ceremony of official inauguration of Ramzan Kadyrov as the head of the republic. From April 2 on, security measures in central Grozny have been essentially intensified, causing, together with all the preparations, serious problems for the residents of the Chechen capital.

The inauguration of the head of Chechnya will be held today at 3 p.m. in the Republic's Theatre and Concert Hall (TCH), located in the centre of Grozny. Yesterday, on April 4, the republic's top officials and collectives engaged in the ceremony were rehearsing there. The neighbourhoods adjacent to the TCH were heavily guarded by officers of the local security agencies and militaries.

The above measures and preparations for the upcoming Ramzan Kadyrov's inauguration have created serious problems for local residents. The central republic's trading centre "Berkat", located near the TCH, was closed the whole day yesterday. Although it was officially announced that the centre was closed for "sanitary treatment", people link it with the upcoming inauguration.

"Since yesterday, the whole centre of the city is closed for motor vehicles, while the cordon around the TCH was deployed back on April 2."Someone has celebrations and holidays, while ordinary people have problems only," said Satsita B., a woman from Grozny.

Earlier, local motorists had reported that Kadyrov and Putin Avenues, Gorky Street and others were partially blocked in central Grozny. The vicinities around the TCH and the main mosque were also blocked.