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Kadyrov sends ‘to court’ those bashing his Instagram post with oppositionist 'at gunpoint’

The video showing Russia's former PM Kasyanov talking to the coordinator of the Open Russia public movement with a filter resembling rifle sights was later deleted by Instagram for violating its rules

MOSCOW, February 2. /TASS/. Those outraged by Ramzan Kadyrov’s Instagram video featuring Russian opposition leader Mikhail Kasyanov in a gunman’s 'crosshairs' "can go to court", the Chechen leader said on Tuesday.

Kadyrov told his 1.6 million Instagram followers that the short video published on Monday had "scared to death the likes of Kasyanov and their cronies."

The video showing Kasyanov, who served as Russian prime minister in 2000-2004 talking to journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., coordinator of the Open Russia public movement, with a filter resembling rifle sights was later deleted by Instagram for violating its rules.

"Kasyanov has come to Strasbourg to get money for the Russian opposition. Whoever didn’t understand will get it," Kadyrov wrote in his deleted post.

Kasyanov said on his Facebook page that he considered the video "a direct threat of a murder… and of an attempt upon the life of a statesman and public figure," adding that he would file a complaint with the police.

"If these fake heroes are so scared of me laughing at them, the road to courts is open to them. I am a law-abiding citizen, bear responsibility for my every word and stick to my firm opinion," Kadyrov said in another Instagram post on Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave no comments on Kadyrov’s video. "We are not following Kadyrov on Instagram," he told reporters on Monday.