22:07, 24 May 2021

Caucasian experts point to risks for Kadyrov’s image from Grozny’s demands on Dziuba

Artyom Dziuba. Photo: Vyachesalv Yevdokimov,

The Chechen authorities are not interested in escalating the conflict with Artyom Dziuba, and the initiative of a former coach of the “Akhmat” club to demand apologies from the football player for his words about Chechnya hardly came from Ramzan Kadyrov, experts interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot” suggest.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 21, Vyacheslav Grozny, a former head coach of the "Akhmat" Football Club (FC), said that Stanislav Cherchesov, the head coach of the Russian national team, should convince Artyom Dzyuba, a forward of the "Zenit" FC, to apologize for his words about the "oppressive atmosphere" in Chechnya.

In his interview with the YouTube channel "Sad Broadcast about Football", released on May 16, Artyom Dzyuba spoke about his impressions of the match in Grozny. "The atmosphere there is depressing ... It’s hostile. Playing there is always hard for some reason," he said.

Professor Alexei Malashenko, the head of scientific research at the Dialogue of Civilizations Institute, believes that the demands for an apology from Artyom Dziuba voiced by Vyacheslav Grozny are unlikely to come from the leader of Chechnya.

“Artyom Dziuba is a figure of large-scale. And the Chechen authorities are not interested in spoiling the relationship with him. That is why I think that the initiative to demand apologies came, if not from Vyacheslav Grozny himself, then from the suggestion of some Kadyrov’s associates,” Alexei Malashenko told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

In such a situation, it is better for the Chechen authorities to hush up the case, Alexei Malashenko believes.

Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, also sees no reason for apologies in the Artyom Dziuba’s words. “I do not think that Artyom Dziuba should apologize for his feelings and associations. I am now on a boat trip to Istanbul, and there are only Turkish-speaking people here. I feel uncomfortable because I do not understand them. And now, should I apologize to the Turks for the fact that I feel uncomfortable here? I did not say anything bad about anyone, but I only spoke about my feelings. Artyom Dziuba did the same,” Ruslan Kutaev told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 24, 2021 at 05:38 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.