President Vladimir Putin has awarded Chechnya ownership of a state-owned company that controls the republic’s oil-refining and petrochemical industry that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has long sought to acquire.
Putin first agreed to transfer property belonging to the Chechenneftekhimprom oil company to the Caucasus republic in 2015 after a request from Kadyrov, though in 2016 the Chechen leader reportedly complained that the transfer had not happened. In his initial request, Kadyrov claimed that Russia’s biggest oil producer Rosneft, which operated the Grozny-based company’s assets, was misusing its land and resources.
A new decree signed by Putin on Tuesday handed 100 percent of Chechenneftekhimprom to Chechnya “in order to improve the efficiency” of utilizing the firm’s assets.
The decree tasks the cabinet with securing the transfer within two months starting Tuesday.
Kadyrov said on his Telegram channel on Tuesday that “Rosneft’s interests have in no way been affected” by Putin’s order to transfer the oil firm’s ownership.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
