Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has threatened to delete his Instagram account after engaging in a heated discussion with users of the photo-sharing application.
"I don't understand my followers. First, you say that we must fight corruption and punish all bribe-takers, but when you see real action on this issue, you condemn the person who revealed the illegal actions," he wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
"I think that it's better to delete Instagram and work without bearing in mind your views on various issues," Kadyrov added, calling users' comments "complete babble."
Instagram users were incensed when Kadyrov posted a photo on Tuesday of himself alongside Bekkhan Ibragimov, who was sentenced to more than five years prison in 2010 for the killing of Spartak Moscow football fan Yury Volkov.
Ibragimov was only freed on parole in early May.
Kadyrov was unaware that Ibragimov was a convicted of the Spartak fan killing, his spokesman said, pointing out that Ibragimov had met with Kadyrov to inform him about the corrupt behavior of local migration officials.
In March, less than a month after registering on Istagram, Kadyrov talked it up as an effective way of solving pressing social issues in the North Caucasus republic.
As of Friday, he had more than 135,000 followers.
Related articles:
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.
