Alaudinov's words about Anapa conflict show Chechen authorities' reaction to xenophobia

Apti Alaudinov's words about the unfair detention of a Chechen resident after a brawl in Anapa have demonstrated the concern of Kadyrov's entourage about the growth of nationalism in the Russian society, analysts have noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 9, Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Chechen formation "Akhmat", treated the detention of Zelimkhan Zaurbekov, a native of Chechnya, after a mass brawl in Anapa, as unfair. The conflict, according to him, occurred because Zaurbekov wanted to get acquainted with some girl, was rudely refused, and her friend insulted the "Chechen nation". Alaudinov claimed that the criminal case against Zaurbekov was initiated only because he is a Chechen, and in Russia recently there has been a "stirring up of the interethnic discord."

The conflict broke out on September 3 near a cafe in Anapa. According to the victims, they were relaxing in a group of people. A man wanted to get acquainted with one of the girls, but she refused. The guys stood up for the girl, and a brawl broke out. According to the detainees, they passed by the group; and the girl started shouting insults at them.

Apti Alaudinov's reaction is hypocritical, said Svetlana Gannushkina*, the chair of the "Civic Assistance" Committee*, has informed.

"He (Alaudinov), like other Chechen leaders, wants to portray themselves as defenders of the Chechen nation. In fact, they are not fit to be the nation defenders," she believes, reminding that Alaudinov had long held high positions at the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). "We should not forget that his subordinates planted drugs on Chechens and imprisoned many of them," Ms Gannushkina* has added.

Ramzan Kadyrov and his entourage are seriously concerned about the growing xenophobia and Chechenophobia, Ruslan Kutaev, a political analyst, believes. In his opinion, authorities are "very intensively looking for an option to designate as the culprit of the defeats in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine." "This is what the special services have prepared for the project to discredit Chechens and other non-Russians," Mr Kutaev has added.

Let us recall that on September 7, a mass brawl also took place in the village of Afipsky in Kuban (Krasnodar Territory); according to sources, due to the inappropriate behaviour of visiting construction workers towards a girl. The cause of the brawl was the xenophobic sentiments of Kuban residents, analysts have pointed out.

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