In issue of Vainakhs' deportation, Kadyrov stops looking back at Russian authorities

The legalization of the mourning for deportation victims is a consequence of the consolidation of Kadyrov's status quo, Caucasian experts have explained the cancellation of the many-year-long moratorium on commemoration actions in Chechnya, adding that Kadyrov's decision to hold a rally on February 23 was also influenced by the fact that residents of Chechnya and Ingushetia are commemorating victims of Stalinist repressions every year.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 23, Kadyrov took part in the mourning action on the 76th anniversary of the Stalinist deportation of Vainakhs. Since 2011, mourning events were banned in Chechnya on this day; therefore, the current inconsistency of Chechen authorities surprised local residents.

Mikhail Roschin, an Orientalist, does not rule out that Kadyrov took into account the Chechens' attitude to the deportation date.

Alexei Malashenko, a political analyst and expert on the Caucasus, believes that the official rally in memory of the repression victims has become possible, since it gives Kadyrov additional political dividends. He is sure that the official rally indicates some softening of Chechen authorities' attitude to the actions on the day, when deportation was launched.

Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, is sure that the conference on the deportation of Chechens and Ingushes organized by him in 2014 also contributed to the change in Kadyrov's position.