17 December 2019, 08:22
Djambulat Umarov joins public dispute of Kadyrov with Sokurov
Djambulat Umarov, the Chechen Minister for National Policy, External Relations, Press and Information, has recorded an expanded video appeal to the film director Alexander Sokurov, criticizing his statement about the Heroes of Russia and his films.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 14, the well-known film director, Alexander Sokurov, sharply commented on Ramzan Kadyrov's reaction to his call to rethink the status of the title of Hero of Russia, which the head of Chechnya himself is endowed with. According to Sokurov, Chechnya adopts laws that are contrary to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, while residents of the Caucasian regions should master self-criticism.
On December 10, film director Alexander Sokurov invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to "review the status" of the title of Hero of Russia. The film director noted that both the leader of Chechnya and the Pskov paratroopers killed in a battle with Basaev's militants were awarded the status of Hero of Russia. The Russian President objected that a person who "sided with Russia" deserved the Hero of Russia award. Alexander Sokurov admitted that he was upset by the President Putin's response.
Djambulat Umarov posted his video appeal to Alexander Sokurov late at night on December 15.
The minister presented Sokurov's criticism of the Chechen leader as negative statements addressed to the entire Chechen people. The Umarov's appeal contains the interpreted Sokurov's words that "we need to urgently educate the stupid, worthless, absolutely illiterate Chechen people," although Sokurov never pronounced such words, but stressed deliberately that he didn't generalize the whole nation.
Then Umarov declares that he "hates" Sokurov's creativity. "What are you trying to achieve, Mr Sokurov, what diabolical role are you playing now, at the time when multinational Russia is barely trying to keep its own statehood in its hands?" the minister asked in conclusion.
Commentators left mostly approving comments to Umarov's video appeal, but several users dared to make some cautious objections.
"Sokurov is right: how can a person, who had fought in Russia against Russia, be a Hero of Russia," the user mukharbek9468 wrote under the minister's post.
In 1994-1996, during the first Chechen War, Ramzan Kadyrov fought on the side of separatists. In the fall of 1999, at the start of the second Chechen War, Akhmat and Ramzan Kadyrov joined the federal troops. Ramzan Kadyrov was awarded the title of Hero of Russia in 2004, same as his father, Akhmat Kadyrov.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 16, 2019 at 09:00 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
