Chechen Parliament Approves Ramzan Kadyrov As Premier

Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov (file photo) (ITAR-TASS) March 4, 2006 -- The Moscow-backed parliament of Chechnya today unanimously approved the appointment of Ramzan Kadyrov as the republic's prime minister.

Kadyrov replaces Sergei Abramov, under whom he had served as deputy premier.


Chechen President Alu Alkhanov said Abramov, who was badly injured in a car accident earlier this winter, had resigned due to health concerns.


The new premier is the son of Akhmad Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed Chechen president who was assassinated in 2004.


Ramzan Kadyrov also heads a shadowy security force widely alleged to commit abductions and abuse of civilians.


In other developments, three Russian soldiers have reportedly died in a clash with Chechen separatists when they stumbled upon the rebels' forest camp in the Kurchaloi region, east of the capital, Grozny.


(AP, ITAR-TASS)

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