Mourning for Yusup Temirkhanov is over in Chechnya

The mourning events in memory of Yusup Temirkhanov, convicted for killing Yuri Budanov, are over in the village of Geldagan. The funeral was attended by tens of thousands people, including from Ingushetia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria and Georgia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 3, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN) reported the death of Temirkhanov in a colony, stating that he died because of chronic diseases. Tens of thousands of people arrived in the village of Geldagan in Chechnya to express their condolences to Temirkhanov's relatives. The 48-year-old Temirkhanov was buried on August 4 in the cemetery of his family village.

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, said Temirkhanov was not involved in the murder of Budanov. According to his version, the conviction made Temirkhanov a national hero who "took revenge for the scolded honour" of the Chechen girl Elza Kungaeva. However, residents of Chechnya treated the authorities' visit of the funeral as a promotion action.

"They came from Moscow, other cities, from Georgia and Europe; people here never seen such a crowd here," one of Temirkhanov's relatives has stated.

According to Chechen traditions, the mourning events end on the fourth day, although during the next days relatives are visited to express condolences.

Local residents also noted the participation of family members of Elza Kungaeva, assassinated by Budanov, in the funeral.