Analysts called threats of blood revenge a method of intimidating the residents of Chechnya.

Ramzan Kadyrov's statements about blood revenge against the relatives of those involved in attacks on law enforcement are an attempt to intimidate residents and a manifestation of terror, which is one of the foundations of the stability of power in Chechnya, analysts pointed out.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", law enforcement in Chechnya killed one person suspected of involvement in diversions in the Gudermes district, and another person was detained, Ramzan Kadyrov stated after a meeting with law enforcement. Telegram channels reported that Turpal-Ali Mezhidov was killed. If a person takes up arms and goes to kill a law enforcement officer, then his entire family must bear responsibility up to blood revenge, and such families have no place in the republic, said the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.

Political scientist Sergey Boyko 1 stated that the delay in information and its measured presentation is a common practice of Russian special services and law enforcement agencies, dating back to the times of the USSR.

"The goal is to control the information agenda, creating an image of an omnipotent and invincible power that is pointless to resist," he noted.

According to the political scientist, the Chechen specificity consists in the active use of the threat of blood revenge—a traditional Chechen institution.

"However, there is a substitution of concepts here, as 'blood revenge' is applied in conflicts between various clan groups (teips) of Chechen society. Here we see the active use of state terror against the families of people who have gone underground. Terror against relatives is a crucial component of the stability of Ramzan Kadyrov's regime in Chechnya. It is the fear for families that has effectively 'frozen' Chechen society," Boyko explained.

Political scientist Ruslan Kutaev* pointed out that even after the authorities of Chechnya make some statements about attacks, there is no trust in them.

"It is not a fact that what they are talking about is actually happening. But now I have information that an event occurred in Gudermes regarding the elimination of a guy," Kutaev* noted.

17:57 14.04.2025

How Kadyrov Tightened Collective Responsibility in Chechnya

After the attack on the traffic police post on April 7, 2025, the relatives of the killed attacker received threats of eviction beyond Chechnya from Ramzan Kadyrov. Similar threats based on the principle of collective responsibility had been voiced by the head of Chechnya before, but now repressions threaten even distant relatives of the person guilty of the attack.

Kutaev* sees nothing special in the rhetoric about "blood revenge."

"Threats from them always come, there is nothing new here," Kutaev* concluded.

One of the experts, familiar with the situation, stated anonymously that it is incorrect to speak of "terrorist acts in Chechnya" since it concerns the persecution of families by law enforcement—abductions, torture. Information about the events mentioned by Iraskhanov was reported in messages from opposition Telegram channels to the authorities of Chechnya, although the authorities preferred to remain silent, he said.

He suggests that the current events were initially planned to be covered up, and the searches presented as exercises. But the publicity prevented this. According to him, the silence of the authorities was due to the fear of destroying the perception of the invulnerability of the regime, and they needed a reason to report what happened as a resolved issue, as reporting one killed and one detained can be done without details. If detailed information were provided, there would be a possibility of finding inconsistencies in the official version, the expert is convinced.

The rhetoric about "blood revenge" is a working method—a method of collective responsibility that law enforcement began to practice during the Chechen wars. And it is still used to suppress resistance, isolate dissenters, and silence the population, the expert pointed out.

* included by the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the register of foreign agents.

** the activities of the Meta company (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.