Analysts treat Chechen authorities' demands for apologies as selective

Vakhid Ilyasov's apologies for the incident on a Mariupol beach were caused by the pressure of Chechen authorities, while those from Ramzan Kadyrov's retinue rarely apologize for much more serious offences, analysts have pointed out, noting that not all incidents involving natives of Chechnya committed at resorts attract attention of republic's authorities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Vakhid Ilyasov, a resident of Chechnya, had publicly apologized for driving his SUV onto the beach in Mariupol, after which he got into an altercation with local residents. Social network users have suggested that Ilyasov had apologized after the pressure put on him by Chechen authorities.

Svetlana Gannushkina*, the head of the "Civic Assistance" Committee*, is confident that Ilyasov's apologies were the result of pressure from the Chechen authorities.

“They contacted and put pressure on him to apologize and, as they like to say, not to spoil the image of Chechens,” she said, adding that the incident itself is not provocative compared to the behaviour of those close to Chechen authorities.

In any nation there are ill-mannered people who try to express themselves in inappropriate ways, says Amir Kolov, a retired Colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

“They think that rolling on the sand on the beach is heroism. Chechens have this peculiarity - they feel their uniqueness. For example, at the special military operation (SMO), Chechens serve separately; they have their own commanders … They were given exclusive rights and opportunities, which does not apply only on government officials, as well as on ordinary residents who also want to feel their permissiveness,” he said.

Such incidents are typical for resort cities, a Dagestani journalist believes. In his opinion, car drives onto beaches also occurred on the Caspian shore.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.