Analysts: in Chechnya, women may be forcibly recruited into law enforcement bodies

Chechen Minister of Press Akhmed Dudaev has posted a video reporting about the willingness of Chechen women to support men in protecting the interests of their homeland. Analysts believe the video may be both a PR move and an attempt to encourage men to participate in the special military operation in Ukraine, and preparations for forcing women to serve in the law enforcement bodies.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Akhmed Dudaev, Chechen Minister of Information, posted a video on social media depicting the women employed by the law enforcement bodies. The video says that the women of Chechnya are ready to support men in protecting the interests of their homeland.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the “Civic Assistance Committee”*, doubts that the video is a preparation for the “self-mobilization of women.” The human rights defender considers the video as another PR move of Ramzan Kadyrov.

The chair of the “Civic Assistance Committee”* admits that women employed by the law enforcement bodies will serve mainly in the republic, due to many vacancies appeared in connection with the dispatch of law enforcers from Chechnya to the combat zone.

“Mass coercion of women to comply with the instructions of the authorities has long been worked out in Chechnya. This performance can also be the result of coercion,” Svetlana Gannushkina added.

The human rights defender emphasizes that the image of a woman-keeper of the hearth, and not a warrior is typical for Chechnya.

Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, also does not consider the image of a female warrior to be part of the Chechen culture. “This is propaganda, an attempt to encourage men to come forward and prevent women from taking up arms,” Ruslan Kutaev explained.

According to him, possible mobilization of women will be a desperate step. However, Ruslan Kutaev does not rule out such option if the situation in the special military operation zone worsens.

The role of a female warrior in Chechen society was allowed only when absolutely necessary, emphasizes Saida Sirazhudinova, the president of the Centre for the Studies of Global Issues of Modernity and Regional Problems “Caucasus. World. Development”.

*The organization was included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the register of NCOs, performing the functions of a foreign agent.