Digest Vol. 1, #5

Ingushetia raids over mobilization: January ended with raids targeting officials in Nazran from the military enlistment office. These activities were in connection to problems with the September mobilization effort. ​​During the initial days of mobilization, Ingushetia’s popular pro-authorities Telegram channels were silent about it. They instead covered the security services’ ongoing war with the Batalkhadzhintsy—the Sufi brotherhood that was once an alternative power holder in the republic, before it was chased out and then co-opted by Ramzan Kadyrov. The reason for this silence eventually came to light, as reports emerged that the Ingush had broadly refused the mobilization order. On October 3, Presidential Envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Yurii Chaika visited Ingushetia because of “problems with mobilization.” The recent raids seemingly confirm the reports from the time that the Ingush broadly refused the mobilization order.

Kadyrov speaks out. The Chechen governor has recently made several provocative comments, blatantly going against the Russian Federation. On 26 January, Kadyrov rebuked Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki for stating that “Chechnya deserves independence.” While the expected response would be to condemn Chechen independence, Kadyrov surprisingly rebuked Europe for not supporting Chechen independence earlier. The second incident came a few days later, when Kadyrov stated that those who forbid the construction of mosques and wearing of hijabs are “Ukrainian fascists.” While the comment about Ukraine is absurd and unfounded, his intended framing of those who oppose public Islam* as being enemies of the Russian state—and presumably Nazis, based on the specific accusation—is certainly an inflammatory statement, considering Russian sociopolitics today. These comments follow his verbal sparring with military leadership over the ban on beards in Russia’s armed forces. Kadyrov’s comments, although seemingly forming a pattern, should be considered and analyzed individually, as their respective audiences appear to differ. For my thoughts on Kadyrov’s response to Morawiecki, you can listen to my conversation (in Russian) with Meduza’s Vladislav Gorin.

* By which I mean the existence/presence of elements of Islam in public spaces.