"They are like Siamese twins: Kadyrov will certainly not survive without Putin, and it would be difficult for Putin to do without Kadyrov," Malashenko told the AP. Kadyrov's comments reflected a degree of defiance following the arrests, a rare occasion when federal law-enforcement agencies dared to prosecute those loyal to the Chechen strongman. Oleg Orlov, the head of Memorial, a respected Russian human rights group, said the arrests and the subsequent award were a message to Kadyrov. "They show Kadyrov that he's not quite his own boss, and some members of his entourage will be punished," Orlov told The Associated Press. "It's a signal: we will clean the field around you so that you know your place... » Chechnya's leader vows loyalty to Putin amid Nemtsov probe - U-T San Diego 10/03/15 17:50 from Google News - World

» Chechnya's leader vows loyalty to Putin amid Nemtsov probe - U-T San Diego
10/03/15 17:50 from Google News - World
U-T San Diego Chechnya's leader vows loyalty to Putin amid Nemtsov probe U-T San Diego CAPTION CORRECTS DATE AND ADDS THE NAME OF THE STADIUM FILE - In this file photo taken on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, Chechnya's regional leader Ra...

Kadyrov's comments reflected a degree of defiance following the arrests, a rare occasion when federal law-enforcement agencies dared to prosecute those loyal to the Chechen strongman.

Oleg Orlov, the head of Memorial, a respected Russian human rights group, said the arrests and the subsequent award were a message to Kadyrov.

"They show Kadyrov that he's not quite his own boss, and some members of his entourage will be punished," Orlov told The Associated Press. "It's a signal: we will clean the field around you so that you know your place, but you are personally not in trouble yet."

"Some people in security services of the Russian Federation don't like Ramzan Kadyrov because it's permitted to him to do everything he wants," Malashenko said.
"They are like Siamese twins: Kadyrov will certainly not survive without Putin, and it would be difficult for Putin to do without Kadyrov," Malashenko told the AP.

International human rights groups have accused Kadyrov of rampant abuses, including arbitrary arrest, torture and extrajudicial killings.

» Chechnya's leader pledges loyalty to Putin amid controversy surrounding ... - Fox News
10/03/15 17:48 from World - Google News
Fox News Chechnya's leader pledges loyalty to Putin amid controversy surrounding ... Fox News Zaur Dadaev, one of five suspects in the killing of Boris Nemtsov stands in a court room in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, March 8, 2015. Russian ...

» More Russian tanks, equipment cross Ukraine border: U.S. official
10/03/15 17:46 from Reuters: International
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian tanks and heavy military equipment have crossed the Ukrainian border in the last few days in breach of a European-brokered ceasefire agreed on Feb. 12, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday.

Eastern Ukraine and Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia a year ago, was "suffering a reign of terror," Nuland told a congressional hearing on Ukraine, adding that the White House was still considering whether to arm Ukraine's military.

The Senate and House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation in December that authorized sending arms to Kiev. Obama signed the measure into law but it gave him leeway over whether or when to send the arms.

In a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday, senators Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee and Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, called on Obama to immediately submit a report to Congress on plans for providing arms to Ukraine.

The lawmakers said the report, required under the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, had been due on Feb. 15. It was unclear when the report would be submitted.