Grozny residents state non-admittance of ordinary citizens to parade

The parade in Grozny was watched by militaries, policemen and a handful of officials, while ordinary citizens were not allowed to come and watch the event, residents of Grozny report.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that reinforced military and police posts were deployed in central streets of Grozny in the evening on May 8 in the context with the upcoming military parade.

The parade on the occasion of the Victory Day began in Grozny at 10:00 a.m. General Alkhanov, the Minister of the Interior, made a tour around the parade unites riding a white horse.

After that, the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov drove into the square named after Akhmat Kadyrov in a WW II-time jeep and accepted the parade of units of power agencies and federal forces.

In total, the military consisted of 2500 law enforcers and over 60 armoured vehicles. Only a small number of civilians – officials of various levels, youth activists, and about two dozens veterans – were admitted directly to the venue of the parade.

Citizens and guests of the capital could see only the travel of the military vehicles along Putin Avenue. Local residents said that they "felt almost no festive atmosphere."

Relatives of some of the veterans note that in Chechnya the participants of the Great Patriotic War are provided by republic's authorities and local governments "with all the necessary assistance."

Veterans are rendered all the necessary assistance, in its turn, said the Chechen Ministry of Labour.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.