Caucasian experts treat detention of Chechen envoy as signal for Kadyrov

The detention of the representative of the head of Chechnya in the Ivanovo Region of Russia was demonstratively disrespectful and was widely covered in the media, but for Ramzan Kadyrov it is advantageous to leave the incident without reaction, analysts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in Crimea, the law enforcers who investigate a fraud case detained Isa Edilsultanov, the head of Chechnya's envoy in the Ivanovo Region. He was accused of an especially large-scale fraud and falsification of proofs, said Umalat Saigitov, an advocate.

The detention of Edilsultanov was deliberately offensive, says Ruslan Kutaev, President of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations. Such a media campaign can affect Kadyrov's image, even if the Edilsultanov's case fails to reach a verdict.

"The man sleeps in his bed; he is taken out in his underpants; and this is shown all over the world ... For a Chechen, it's very unpleasant and indecent. This is done so that Kadyrov's image is shown in the same negative light," Mr Kutaev believes.

The situation with Edilsultanov's detention may come to naught, if Kadyrov keeps silent, says Alexei Malashenko, the head of scientific studies at the "Dialogue of Civilizations" Institute. He does not rule out that the head of Chechnya may be delicately pointed to his place, if he is indignant at law enforcers' actions against his envoy.

The demonstratively disrespectful detention of Kadyrov's representative in Crimea may indicate that law enforcers feel no reverence for the head of Chechnya, Mr Malashenko has suggested.