Rally for Putin in Chechnya starts presidential election frauds

It is impossible to verify the number of participants in the rally in support of Putin held in Grozny, but those who attended came under duress, experts on the Caucasus have noted. The current president's high outcome at election in Chechnya will be ensured by frauds, a member of the monitoring organization is sure.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Ramzan Kadyrov promised that voter turnout at presidential election in Chechnya would be "incredibly high." On March 10, Chechen authorities reported that 150,000 people took part in the rally in support of Putin. Residents of Chechnya reported that state servants were forced to take part in the rally.

Chechen authorities have long glorified Putin, Ruslan Kutaev, the President of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, has stated. "The personality cult began manifesting itself in 2003," he has noted, adding that the above rally has also shown that the Kremlin trusts Kadyrov.

Oyub Titiev, a human rights defender, doubts the Putin's real support by those who are forcibly gathered to rallies. "What kind of support can there be for the one who started the war in Chechnya (the start of the second Chechen campaign coincided with the start of Putin's presidency, – note of the "Caucasian Knot"), as a result of which many residents of Chechnya perished?" Mr Titiev has asked.