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Putin congratulates Chechen leader on eradicating criminal terror gang, says Kremlin

Six militants from the gang of Byutukayev, the so-called last emir of Chechnya, including its leader, were eliminated earlier

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov Yelena Afonina/TASS

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov

© Yelena Afonina/TASS

MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and congratulated him and other participants of a special operation that eradicated a criminal gang led by Aslan Byutukayev, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.

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"President Putin had a phone conversation with Ramzan Kadyrov. He congratulated him and other participants of the operation on eliminating a group of Byutukayev’s criminals. We are talking about the so-called last emir of Chechnya, a well-known terrorist who has been wanted for a long time. They searched for him both in Ingushetia and in Chechnya within the framework of the operation under the auspices of the NAC [the National Antiterrorism Committee]," the spokesman clarified.

He noted that all participants of this operation will receive state awards.

"Structures of the Russian National Guard as well as the operative regiment of the Chechen Republic took part in the operation, Ramzan Kadyrov also participated personally. <...> Currently, in Chechnya the identities of the eliminated militants are being established," the Kremlin representative added.

As Kadyrov reported earlier on Wednesday on his Telegram channel, six militants from Byutukayev’s gang, including its leader, were eliminated in Chechnya. Kadyrov noted that "it’s all over for the militant underground in the Chechen Republic."

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