Russian lawmaker posts video denying involvement in plot to assassinate Chechnya’s Kadyrov

Rizvan Kurbanov, a Russian State Duma deputy whom Chechnya’s head Ramzan Kadyrov accused of plotting an assassination attempt against him, posted a video address on Friday denying his involvement in the plot.

Kadyrov threatened to declare “a blood feud” against three Russian lawmakers on Thursday. Senator Suleyman Kerimov and State Duma Deputy Rizvan Kurbanov, both from Dagestan in Russia’s North Caucasus, as well as State Duma Deputy Bekhan Barakhoev, from neighbouring Ingushetia.

According to Ingush independent media outlet Fortanga, Kadyrov claimed that the three lawmakers had “seized” Russia’s largest online retailer Wildberries from its owner, Russia’s richest woman Tatyana Kim, and had attempted to order his assassination.

“I’ve had no part in planning the attempt on the life of the honourable Ramzan Akhmatovych Kadyrov. God Almighty is my witness,” Kurbanov said.

Kurbanov added that he had “always respected” Ramzan Kadyrov’s late father, Akhmad Kadyrov. According to Kurbanov, Kadyrov had “honourably continued” his father’s work and has done a lot for “the restoration of Chechnya and for peace in the Caucasus”, adding that “scoundrels who bring discord” would be punished.

Talk of a “blood feud” and the surge in inter-ethnic tensions between the Chechen and Ingush peoples appears to be tied to the failed Chechen-led raid at the Wildberries headquarters in Moscow last month, in which two Ingush security guards were killed.

Kadyrov warned the public against “stirring up” the situation and said that accusing Kadyrovites of staging the raid was “an attempt to paint this as an ethnic issue”.