Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has accused neighboring Ingushetia of "encroaching on Chechen territory" and called for establishing "a clear administrative border" between the two Russian North Caucasus republics.
Ingushetia's leader, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, has responded by saying that the need to establish a clear administrative border between the two republics "had occurred long ago."
The exchange comes after the two sides recently traded accusations over how much each was doing to prevent militants from committing cross-border terrorist acts.
During the Soviet era, the two republics used to be the single Republic of Checheno-Ingushetia. They split in 1992 as Chechen separatists began agitating for independence. Ingush and Chechens share a common culture, language, religion, and history.
Ingushetia's leader, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, has responded by saying that the need to establish a clear administrative border between the two republics "had occurred long ago."
The exchange comes after the two sides recently traded accusations over how much each was doing to prevent militants from committing cross-border terrorist acts.
During the Soviet era, the two republics used to be the single Republic of Checheno-Ingushetia. They split in 1992 as Chechen separatists began agitating for independence. Ingush and Chechens share a common culture, language, religion, and history.
