Wednesday, February 27, 2019
For First Time in a Decade, Kadyrov Marks Chechen Deportation Anniversary on February 23
Paul Goble
Staunton, February 26 – Stalin’s deportation of the Chechens and Ingush began on February 23, 1944, a date both peoples hold sacred but one that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov moved a decade ago to May 10th in order to mollify Moscow which marks that day as Defender of the Fatherland Day and to play down the event by linking it to the anniversary of his father’s death.
But this year, unexpectedly, Kadyrov ordered the anniversary to marked on the correct day – and the day it was marked by the late Chechen President Dzhokhar Dudayev and even Kadyrov’s father, Akhmet Kadyrov, sparking intense discussions as to why he made this move and also why now (caucasustimes.com/ru/kadyrov-napomnil-moskve-o-sebe-i-chechencah/ and kavkazr.com/a/29790243.html). Read more