On February 23 the Memorial Day commemorating the Nakhs who died during the 1944 deportation was marked in Grozny, as well as the Defender of the Fatherland Day. However, attention was strongly drawn to the IX Congress of Peoples of Russia taking place in Grozny.
The Assembly of Russian Peoples has organized a forum entitled “We are citizens of Russia”. Ramzan Kadyrov, officials, youth organizations activists, and members of elites attended.
Ramazaan Abdullahtipov delivered a speech. He said that Chechnya is an integral part of the Russian Federation, and that unity is very important. He also recalled how he and Ramzan Kadyrov organized the Youth Assembly of the peoples of Russia in 2000, when nobody believed it possible. He compared some current characteristic features of inter-ethnic tensions in Russia to those of fascist Germany in 1930, saying that in Russia the resemblance is becoming stronger and stronger, but that in Chechnya any tensions of this kind are impossible, as the leadership of Ramzan Kadyrov has united the people. He also noted the great danger involved when some members of Russia's elites (deputies, writers etc.) adhere to chauvinistic ideas and propagate them. Abdullahtipov also said that many people hate those who are different and that their ideas are spread via the Internet, which is also a very dangerous trend.
He also spoke about the Russian war for the Caucasus with Turkey in the XIXth century. He noted that the inhabitants of the Caucasus were strong and brave, successfully fighting off General Yermolov, but eventually coming to mutual agreement with Baryatinsky, who respected their traditions.
