GROZNY. Aug 21 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has become an honorary citizen of Chechnya, having accepted the badge and certificate from Chechnya head Ramzan Kadyrov and Salakh Mezhiyev, Chechnya mufti, chair of the Spiritual Administration of Chechnya Muslims at the new Mosque of Prophet Isa in Grozny.
Putin presented the hosts with a hand-made Koran in a precious binding.
He thanked the Chechnya mufti for his work. "You are the keeper of values strengthening interethnic peace and all our religions. This is your work, your mission for the sake of our entire people. You [clerics] are pursuing a common cause of great importance, no less important than what we saw at the range [of the Russian Special Forces University in Gudermes]," he said.