Chechen authorities respond with flash mob to sanctions of US Department of State

After Ramzan Kadyrov had learned about the new sanctions imposed against him by the US State Department, he promised that the Chechen people will support the leader of Chechnya, accused of violating human rights. After that, the authorities of Chechnya initiated a flash mob on social networks in support of Ramzan Kadyrov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 20, the US State Department announced that sanctions were imposed against Ramzan Kadyrov in connection with human rights violations in Chechnya. The sanctions have also affected Kadyrov's wife Medni and his two daughters, Aishat and Khadizhat.

In the evening on July 20, Ramzan Kadyrov responded to the sanctions imposed by the US Department State and accused the US of trying to "bring discord" in the family of the leader of Chechnya. "Okay, even if I am a gross violator of human rights, then how do you explain the sanctions imposed against ... my wife and my daughters??? What crimes did they commit and whose rights did they violate? [...] You decided to resort to openly odious methods and cause discord within my family. Maybe you thought you would succeed, but you miscalculated. The Chechen institute of family is stronger than your sanctions! [...] By the way, in addition to my older two daughters, I also have other 12 children! Feel free to include them to your sanctions lists as well! [...] And my people will speak for me!" the leader of Chechnya wrote on his page in "VKontakte".

After that, at night on July 21, Ramzan Kadyrov's assistant Akhmed Dudaev, Chechen Press and Information Minister, announced on his Instagram page the start of a flash mob in support of the leader of Chechnya and his family.

"All Chechen people are the family of Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov! We are launching the #WeAreFamilyofKRA campaign and ask all people who consider themselves part of the large family of the leader of the Chechen Republic to join the action!" Akhmed Dudaev announced in his post.

His subscribers supported the initiative. "Of course, I will gladly take part in the #WeAreFamilyofKRA campaign," wrote, in particular, user miss.rasima. In their comments, other users also supported the authorities' flash mob and left ironic comments concerning the US sanctions.

Meanwhile, in other public accounts on Instagram, the announcement of the action with hashtag #WeAreFamilyofKRA did not find such unanimous support like on the page of the Chechen Press Minister. Thus, on the Instagram page of the "Grozny" ChGTRK (Chechen TV and Radio Company), user ichkeriec.ch responded to the Akhmed Dudaev's call with a hashtag "#KadyrovGo Away".

User nazranerva suggested that residents of Chechnya would be forced to support the flash mob initiated by the Chechen authorities. "Right now, if you like it or not, everyone will write hashtag #WeAreFamilyofKRA," the user wrote.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 21, 2020 at 12:05 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.