MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Russian internal republic of Chechnya, on the phone and has congratulated him and other participants in an operation which resulted in the deaths of Aslan Byutukayev and his gang on their success, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, adding that all participants in the operation will be nominated for state awards.
"It's true that President Putin has spoken with Ramzan Kadyrov over the phone. He congratulated him and other participants in the operation on the elimination of the Byutukayev gang. This is the so-called 'last amir of Chechnya,' the notorious terrorist who has been wanted for a long time. He was wanted both in Ingushetia and in Chechnya within the framework of an operation conducted under the aegis of NAC [National Antiterrorism Committee]," Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.
"The operation involved units of the Russian National Guard and the operative regiment of the Chechen Republic, as well as Ramzan Kadyrov personally. President Putin has again congratulated him and the participants in the operation. As the president said, all of them will be nominated for state awards. The dead militants are being identified in Chechnya," he said.
Kadyrov said on Telegram earlier that six militants, including their ringleader, field commander Byutukayev, had been killed in Chechnya.