Killings of Kadyrov's critics in Europe take systemic character

Mamikhan Umarov has complemented the list of critics and opponents of Chechen authorities assassinated in Europe in recent years. At the same time, Umarov himself had cooperated for many years with Austrian special services, trying to identify Chechen killers sent to Europe, the members of the Diaspora, who knew him personally, assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 4, Mamikhan Umarov, a native of Chechnya, also known as "Anzor from Vienna", was killed in Vienna. In his videos, the blogger openly criticized and repeatedly insulted Ramzan Kadyrov and his parents by using the uncontrolled vocabulary.

On July 5, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported citing Friedrich Köhl, the Prosecutor of the Korneuburg District, that law enforcers had detained two persons on suspicion of involvement in killing Mamikhan Umarov.

According to Ali Magomadov, a political analyst, the list of Chechens who somehow expressed their negative attitude towards the head of the Chechen Republic and were killed is growing longer.

"Umar Israilov, a former Ramzan Kadyrov's bodyguard; Zelimkhan Khangoshvili; and Imran Aliev, nicknamed Mansur Stary, who had initially sworn allegiance to Kadyrov, and six months later became his opponent; now, Mamikhan Umarov. Initially, when the resonant murder of Kadyrov's bodyguard was committed, it was considered a Chechnya's problem only. Now, as the list grows, it becomes an all-Russian problem," Mr Magomadov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In Vienna Mamikhan Umarov had enjoyed the state protection, and for some time was accompanied by securities, Khusein Iskhanov, the head of the "Ichkeria Cultural Association", registered in Vienna, told the "Caucasian Knot".

Mr Iskhanov has added that he had known about Umarov's cooperation with local special services. "He came up to me at a rally and showed the audio record that he had made with Shaa Turlaev (a former leader of Chechen separatists, who later became Ramzan Kadyrov's adviser) and others. He identified killers and supposedly offered intermediary services in this area in order to disclose these killers and then inform local authorities," said Iskhanov.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 6, 2020 at 03:14 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.