Chechen leader tells men to open fire on Russian federal troops if they act without approval
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The head of Chechnya has allowed local security forces to open fire on Russian federal troops if they operate in the region without his approval.
Ramzan Kadyrov's Wednesday comments send a worrying sign about a potential rift between him and the Kremlin.
Following the killing of a Chechen man this week at the hands of security forces from a neighboring region, Kadyrov on Wednesday told his forces they can open fire on troops from other regions if they operate without his approval.
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In exchange for generous Kremlin funding and the relative calm he has installed in Chechnya, Kadyrov has been allowed to build a security force of his own which has ruled the land for more than a decade. Moscow has largely ignored rampant abuses including torture and extrajudicial killings.