A metro passenger in Moscow knelt to apologize again for the conflict with a Chechen girl.

A man who previously insulted a Chechen woman in the Moscow metro recorded a second video message and, kneeling, once again asked for her forgiveness, as well as apologized to the Chechen people and Ramzan Kadyrov. Social media users, commenting on the video of his apologies, criticized the demand to kneel and the format of continuing public apologies.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on September 26, a video was published on social media showing a metro passenger in Moscow apologizing after a conflict with a girl from Chechnya. In the recording of the incident, the man behaved as if he were intoxicated, got into a conflict with the girl, after which he began to threaten and insult her. When the girl said that other residents of Chechnya would defend her, he loudly asked the passengers: "Are there any Chechens here?" In his first address, the man stated that he did not want to offend or insult the girl and apologized to her, her relatives, and everyone affected by his words.

Kneeling apologies sparked a debate among social media users

The video in which the metro passenger in Moscow offered his repeated apologies was published today by the Instagram*-public chechnyatut. In the new video, the man is kneeling. According to him, the demand to kneel came from a person named Muhammad.

"Once again, good day, good evening. I want to address you again, to ask for forgiveness. Muhammad called me, number 5521. He asked me to kneel and ask for forgiveness. I sincerely apologize to the girl I insulted yesterday on the train, to the Chechen people, and to Ramzan Akhmatovich. I apologize! I am guilty, undoubtedly. And I will not even try to justify myself. Therefore, I ask for forgiveness, I ask you to forgive me. I sincerely regret what I have done, and I promise it will not happen again. Please forgive me!" – said the author of the video.

This video in the Instagram*-public chechnyatut, which has about 121 thousand followers, had gained 1,087 likes and 723 comments by 14:00 Moscow time.

Some users considered the repeated apologies sufficient and called for an end to the further public humiliation of the man. "Just forgive him already. He has sobered up," wrote abubakarovadina.

"That's enough. Is he going to shoot a series? Stop him," noted vmatrice9.

"Now it’s clear: sincere," believes motivator_05_126.

Other users approved of the reaction to the insult against the Chechen woman and linked it to the need to protect women. "This is how they protect women, I envy," stated margubaziyamova17.

"Real men protect their women," wrote kamilovna_28.

"It's another matter, so that others think twice," stated user se_gmbh.

Another part of the commentators criticized the demand to kneel and the format of continuing public apologies. At the same time, one user called for the situation to be considered at the level of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. "Protect the guy, or he will be hunted down. The situation needs to be considered at the level of the Ministry of Internal Affairs," wrote grisergej586.

"Aren't you ashamed to shoot and post these tales?" – asked kshuvalov70.

Caucasian studies experts pointed out the special role of women in Chechen traditions

Special reverence for women and mothers is one of the national traditions of the Chechens, noted earlier ethnographer, candidate of historical sciences SaiPuddi Nataev. According to him, in Chechen society, a woman was traditionally seen as the keeper of the home, and there existed a special female space in the house that men tried not to violate. "In the Caucasus and in Chechnya, women have always been treated with respect. Since ancient times, she has been the keeper of the hearth," Nataev explained to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

Publicly displaying another man's woman was not in line with historically established practices in the Caucasus, the ethnographer, professor Sergey Arutyunov pointed out. "It was not customary to display another man's woman," – he said to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot". At the same time, Arutyunov noted that the modern understanding of Nohchalla has largely been restored and reinterpreted in the post-Soviet period. In his opinion, a man's honor is determined not by prohibitions and control over women, but by the readiness to protect and support her.

Social scientist and gender researcher Irina Kosterina previously presented the results of a survey conducted in the Caucasus. According to her, some men contrasted the so-called "honor killings" with the necessity to protect a woman if someone tarnishes her reputation. "There is much more masculinity in someone who is not afraid to stand up for a woman close to him," Kosterina explained to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot". She also emphasized that public opinion in the Caucasus remains a significant tool of control, however, men who are ready to defend the honor of a close woman despite this pressure deserve greater respect.

The practice of public apologies initiated by Ramzan Kadyrov has spread beyond Chechnya to other regions of Russia. More about this practice can be read in the "Caucasian Knot" reference "The trend of apologies: from Chechnya to the farthest corners". "Caucasian Knot" also maintains the "Chronicle of public apologies in the Caucasus".