Mourning for Akhmat Kadyrov emphasizes formal status of Day of Remembrance and Sorrow

On the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow of the Chechen People, which is marked on May 10, the authorities of Chechnya emphasized the mourning for Akhmat Kadyrov. On the anniversary of the deportation, the day of February 23, residents of the republic continue to remember the people who fell victim to repression.

The attempt by the Chechen authorities to combine mourning for the victims of deportation and for Akhmat Kadyrov was commented on to a correspondent of the “Caucasian Knot” by Amina Lorsanova, a lawyer for the “Vayfond” Chechen human rights organization, political analyst Ruslan Kutaev, and a Chechen historian who preferred to remain anonymous.

Mourning for victims of deportation seems to be pushed into background

In Chechnya, the day of May 10 is mainly marked as the day of remembrance of Akhmat Kadyrov, Amina Lorsanova points out. “First of all, May 10 is perceived as a day of remembrance for Akhmat Kadyrov, and not as a day of mourning for the victims of deportation. Please note that, although formally this is the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow dedicated to the tragedy of 1944, the content and emphasis of public events are focused on the personality cult of Kadyrov Sr. Therefore, the mourning for the victims of deportation looks like being pushed into the background. And I will say more: against this background, it loses all its meaning,” the lawyer stated.

Tradition of opening gates becomes a way for residents of Chechnya to remember victims of deportation

Amina Lorsanova emphasizes that almost none of the Vainakhs “will not remember and remind of February 23 for at least several more generations – and no one will be able to change that. Despite the fact that the Vainakhs are currently living under a dictatorship, and many of them hate this government in their hearts, they simply cannot speak about it out loud. The day of May 10 is perceived only as a state attempt to rewrite the calendar of memory, subordinating it to new political symbols,” Amina Lorsanova also noted.

The lawyer has also added that no criticism of Stalin was voiced during the events of May 10. “February 23 is the very day when we intensify the condemnation and discussion of the role of Stalin, the NKVD (People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs), and the essence of the genocide. May 10, despite the formal dedication to the same events, is presented in a different way: the emphasis is on the figure of Akhmat Kadyrov, his ‘wise choice’ in favour of Russia and the restoration of the republic. Criticism of Stalin on this day is either absent, or sounds formal and impersonal,” the lawyer emphasized.

Chechens do not associate May 10 with deportation

Ruslan Kutaev has confirmed that few Chechens consider May 10 to be a day of remembrance for the victims of deportations. “Chechens do not associate May 10 with deportations because people clearly associate when each event occurred. I have not seen people who are not under the control of the regime connect those dates or even mix May 10 and February 23,” political analyst Ruslan Kutaev stated.

Chechen authorities make mourning for Akhmat Kadyrov the main theme of Day of Remembrance and Sorrow

According to the Ruslan Kutaev’s note, Stalin “is always remembered as an executioner,” but in Chechnya, May 10 is not considered a day of remembrance for the victims of the Stalin era’s repressions. “Stalin is always Stalin. He is an executioner, in any case. May 10 and February 23 are not associated with each other. The Chechen society does not mix them, understanding that these are completely different dates,” the political analyst claimed.

There has been a noticeable shift towards state personality cult of Akhmat-Khadji

In turn, a Chechen historian, who preferred to remain anonymous, notes that in recent years, there has been a “significant transformation” in the understanding and implementation of the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow on May 10 in the Chechen Republic. “Initially, this date was established in 2004 and combined two lines of memory: the mourning for the first president of the republic and commemoration of the Chechen people, who fell victim to the Stalin era’s deportation. Over time, there has been a noticeable shift towards the predominance of events related to the memory of Akhmat Kadyrov. This does not mean the complete displacement of the memory of the deportation, but the emphasis has changed,” the Chechen historian stated.

He has also explained how these two dates differ in the context of criticism of Stalin. “On February 23, criticism of Stalin and the Soviet leadership sounds more direct and detailed. On May 10, criticism of Stalinism takes on a more general character and is often integrated into a broader narrative about overcoming historical traumas. The Stalin era’s repressions are mentioned as an example of trials,” the Chechen historian emphasized.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 9, 2025 at 09:05 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.