Chechnya. A thug in charge

Date: 11/03/06

Chechnya gets a new prime minister

THE rubble of Grozny, Chechnya's obliterated capital, is decorated with giant posters of Ramzan Kadyrov being made a "Hero of Russia" by Vladimir Putin. On March 4th, Mr Kadyrov, who via his kadyrovtsy militia has ruled much of the region since his father Akhmad, then president, was blown up in May 2004, became Chechnya's prime minister.

Mr Kadyrov has in fact been doing the job since November, when his predecessor was injured in a car crash. The new prime minister is also the main instrument of Russia's policy of "Chechenisation"--outsourcing the fight against separatists to local Chechens (though Russian troops are still dying in Chechnya as well). The Kremlin's contract with Mr Kadyrov is an extreme form of its bargain with many regional leaders: in return for elementary loyalty, they are able to do as they see fit. In Chechnya, that means impunity for the kadyrovtsy to abduct, torture and kill.

The only rival to Mr Kadyrov's influence in Chechnya is Shamil Basayev, a mega-terrorist. And Mr Kadyrov's rise is not over. He already has de facto power, and control of cash coming from Moscow, supposedly for reconstruction. But in October, when he turns 30--the minimum age set by the constitution--he will probably want to be president too. Mr Putin may well oblige. Alu Alkhanov, the current president, may be hoping to fall victim to a non-fatal accident.

The big question is how much elementary loyalty Mr Kadyrov will continue to give to Moscow. He has been dabbling in sharia-inspired edicts, including restrictions on gambling and alcohol, and has advocated polygamy. In the recent cartoon wars, he wanted to throw out the Danish Refugee Council, which provides food to more than 150,000 Chechens, though he backed down under Kremlin pressure. It is not clear if this Islamist streak is a bid to appeal to the militants' supporters, or to assert some independence from Moscow. Mr Kadyrov should be wary: even heroes can outlive their usefulness, and they often meet a hero's end.

Chechnya has got a new prime minister, Ramzan Kadyrov, March 2006.