A flag bearing Kadyrov's portrait was filmed near Yermolov's grave.

An opponent of the head of the Akhmat special forces, MMA fighter Max Divnich, posted a video of an Akhmat flag on the grave of Russian General Alexei Yermolov, who fought against the Chechens. Judging by the video, the flag was brought to the grave by an Akhmat supporter.

"Caucasian Knot" that in July, the head of the Akhmat special forces, Apti Alaudinov, demanded an apology from blogger and MMA fighter Max Divnich for denigrating the Akhmat special forces and Alaudinov himself by attributing a fighter of Chechen origin who started the conflict in Luhansk to the Akhmat special forces. Alaudinov later stated the need to toughen penalties for inciting ethnic hatred. After this, Divnich and Alaudinov continued their public polemic, regularly criticizing each other in their Telegram posts.

Divnich published a video of the "Akhmat - Strength" flag, filmed at the grave of General Alexei Yermolov in Oryol, on his Telegram channel on September 27. The flag, which features a portrait of Ramzan Kadyrov above the slogan, was placed next to a memorial plaque dedicated to Yermolov.

Judging by Divnich's post and off-camera commentary, the recording was part of an ongoing dispute between the blogger and representatives of the Akhmat special forces. In a publication dated July 10, Divnich referred to Yermolov, criticizing Akhmat; He, in particular, stated that he considers it “stupid to name battalions and praise ‘heroes’ who fought against Russia.” “There is no Yermolov battalion in Russia, because (...) you will be the first to be discriminated against, just as there is no monument to the founder of the city of Grozny, and that was also Yermolov,” the athlete wrote at the time.

The man who filmed the video with the Akhmat flag at Yermolov’s grave is off-camera and addresses Divnich, calling Yermolov his “idol.” “You can create your own unit, battalion, whatever you want under this famous name, but the main thing is that it is under our banner,” he says.

The author of the video’s affiliation with Akhmat has not yet been confirmed, and the flag used by the special forces often features a portrait of Akhmat Kadyrov, not his son, notes today. Lenta.ru.

Divnich, posting the video, noted that he didn't understand the author's intention, but decided to interpret it in his own terms. "I see the man went, took the time to visit the grave of the Great Commander, and even laid flowers." "Well done, he honors history," he added.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that a monument to Yermolov in Mineralnye Vody (Stavropol Krai), erected in October 2008, was desecrated by unknown individuals three years later, in October 2011. Local authorities linked the incident to an attempt to pit the interests of different ethnic groups against each other during the election campaign. In the fall of 2010, another monument to Yermolov was erected in Pyatigorsk, at the initiative of local Cossacks and the unanimous decision of members of the Pyatigorsk Public Council. Meanwhile, all ethnic communities of the peoples of the Caucasus sharply condemned the installation of the monument to Yermolov, and historians pointed out the threat of conflicts over monuments to conquerors in the Caucasus.

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