Russian MP from Chechnya repeats promise to ‘destroy’ Chechen immigrants in Europe

Adam Delimkhanov, a Chechen MP  in Russia’s Parliament, has again made harsh statements about the Chechen diaspora in Europe, promising to ‘destroy’ opponents of the current Chechen authorities.

His comments occurred after a video was shared from a rally in Paris marking the three-year anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine which showed supporters of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria demonstrating together with queer activists while displaying Ukrainian flags.

‘The so-called Euro-Ichkerians who fled to Europe continue to disgrace themselves by posting videos of vile perverts from an LGBT organisation taking part in their procession’, Delimkhanov wrote.

He also added that such people, in an effort to retain European financial support, ‘not only will not condemn LGBT people, but will soon be marching with them hand in hand’.

Delimkhanov concluded his message with a threat: ‘Their satanic nest will be destroyed very soon!’

This is not the first time that Delimkhanov or Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov have made threats against their opponents.

In January 2022, Delimkhanov promised to ‘cut off the heads’ of anyone who would translate his words from Chechen into Russian as well as threatening the relatives of federal judge Saidi Yangulbaev whose sons created the opposition Telegram channel 1ADAT.

That same month, Kadyrov called the Yangulbaev family ‘terrorists’ and said that ‘wherever they are, however they hide, we will find them and destroy them’.

Besides these comments, Delimkhanov is known for threatening MMA fighter Fedor Emelianenko and Alexander Zakuskin, the head of the Moscow Meshchansky District Council of Deputies.

Previously, in 2021, Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin called Delimkhanov ‘the most dangerous MP in Russia’.

The federal authorities’ responses to these statements have remained restrained. Despite calls from the public and independent media for a legal assessment of Delimkhanov’s and Kadyrov’s statements, there has been no official comment or action from the Kremlin.

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OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova