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Chechnya head’s view that Russian-speaking citizens in Crimea should be protected

MOSCOW, February 28, (ITAR-TASS). The view of head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov about the need to protect Russians, Chechens and Cossacks residing in Crimea is absolutely justifiable, Aleksandr Khloponin, the Russian President’s plenipotentiary representative in the North Caucasus Federal District, told Itar-Tass.

“I believe that emotional speech was absolutely justifiable,” Khloponin said, adding that any person in Russia cannot be indifferent to what happens in Ukraine.

Khloponin has said Kadyrov’s stand is shared by many other chiefs of Russian regions and by leaders of factions in the State Duma.

He said human rights organizations should be drawn in the effort to protect people. There is international experience in that. Khloponin said resettlement of people and targeted assistance can be used.

Dwelling on the situation in Ukraine in general, Khloponin stressed that he regards what has happens there as “an unconstitutional coup”.

“There are radicals there now, people who cannot be recognized by international law, people who propagate Nazism and try to install leaders… I do not support that. Crimea’s response to that was absolutely understandable,” he said.

The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on Wednesday that he is ready to help Russians, Cossacks and Chechens in Ukraine. “We are part of society of the multinational and multiconfessional Russia. We live in fraternal relations with all peoples. The people of the Chechen Republic adopted the Constitution; we have voted for being part of the Russian Federation. We wish to be friends with all peoples and religions. We are called upon to protect our peoples. We are ready to be observers, if needed; we are ready to be peacekeepers and soldiers to protect the people, if needed. Ukraine and Russia are fraternal peoples. I have many Ukrainian friends and I love them all, and I do deplore what happens there [in Ukraine] in the recent days,” Kadyrov said.

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