After shooting

Kadyrov threatens Russian politicians with blood revenge

Chechnya's ruler Ramzan Kadyrov has sworn vengeance on three Russian politicians from the North Caucasus for allegedly ordering his murder. A business dispute over Russia's largest online retailer had previously escalated into a deadly shootout.

Kadyrov threatened three politicians in a video published on Telegram. Two of them are from the neighboring republic of Dagestan. Suleyman Kerimov is a senator in the Russian Federation Council and Rizvan Kurbanov is a deputy in the State Duma in Moscow. Kadyrov also wants to take revenge on Duma deputy Bekhan Barakhoyev from the neighboring republic of Ingushetia.

Kadyrov calls for "proof to the contrary"
He accused them of plotting to kill him: "If they don't prove otherwise, I will formally declare a blood feud," Kadyrov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency Tass. In this form of private retaliation, family honor is usually intended by killing an opponent or their family members.

A Russian police officer secures the office building after the fatal shooting at the headquarters of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries.(Bild: AFP/Alexander Nemenov)

Two dead after shooting at online retailer
The background to the escalation is a dispute over Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries. A power struggle has broken out between company founder Tatyana Kim and her outgoing husband Vladislav Bakalchuk over the empire. Bakalchuk tried to force his way into the company headquarters in Moscow in September. Two Wildberries guards were killed in the ensuing shootout. Kerimov from Dagestan stands by Kim in the conflict, while Kadyrov takes sides with her husband.

Despite the threats made by Kadyrov in the video against the politicians from the neighboring republics, he declared that the incident in Moscow should not be construed as an ethnic dispute.

Kadyrov has been the ruler of the Chechen Republic in the Caucasus since 2007. He is accused of terrorizing the civilian population. He is said to have committed serious human rights violations such as torture and coercion.