Chechnya elected its president. No sensations happened. Chechen Interior Minister Alu Alkhanov has become Chechen president – 73% of voters supported him. A security minister has come to power. It’s not surprising. A war continues in the republic; terrorist acts happen almost every day; servicemen and civilians perish. This is why Chechnya needs a strong leader.
Alkhanov was supported by the military. Around 25,000 servicemen stationed in the republic voted in the election (servicemen of the 42nd motorized infantry division, 46th brigade of the Interior Troops, and military commandant’s offices). In addition, “the military contingent” includes 4,000 border guards, over 5,000 wives of Russian servicemen, 15,000 policemen. In other words, the share of military voters amounted to 10%. Almost all of them voted for Alu Alkhanov.
Observers from the UN, PACE and OSCE monitored the election. However, they did not uncover serious violations of the law. Abdul-Kerim Arsakhanov, secretary of the election commission, stated: “International observers note that the election was organized according to democratic laws.” In the meantime, Arsakhanov has some opponents.
Abdulla Bugayev, former deputy prime minister of Chechnya for relations with Russian military and law enforcement agencies and incumbent director of the branch of the Humanitarian Academy, told WPS that some violations happened during voting. He stated that his observers were sent to all voting stations. Bugayev’s informers note that the turnout was not as high as official bodies state. Businessman Malik Saidullayev seconded him. He thinks that the air crashes and a terrorist act near the Rizhskaya metro station is a response to the presidential election in Chechnya. According to him, the media recently used to state that the situation in Chechnya was stable and placid. Saidullayev says that the terrorist acts show that this is not true.
It should be noted that guerrillas were not very active during the election. In the meantime, the situation beyond Chechnya has destabilized. Moscow police are on alert. Nevertheless, terrorist acts continue.
Dmitry Rogozin, leader of the Motherland faction in the Duma, stated that the latest terrorist acts testify that the situation is critical. Rogozin thinks that the Chechen leadership must do something to prevent terrorists from getting to other Russian regions. Konstantin KOsachev, secretary of the international committee of the Duma, said that the terrorist acts in Russia are the reaction of the Chechen separatists to stabilization of the situation in Chechnya.
KOsachev stated in an interview with Echo of Moscow radio: “Chechnya is on the verge of a parliamentary election. It is hardly likely that the separatists need stability in the republic. They organize terrorist acts one by one in order to remind the leadership and society about their existence.”
In other words, the Chechen trace can be found in many Russian regions. Terrorists have become very cruel. In the meantime, the federal government cannot ensure the security of its citizens.
