Ramzan Kadyrov, the man President Vladimir Putin picked more than a decade ago to rule the southern Russian republic of Chechnya, is a rare case of a low-level provincial official overshadowing Moscow-based politicians and celebrities.
The Chechen ruler has become something of a media star in Russia: just in the past month, he has launched his own reality TV show, appeared at an official ceremony wearing a medieval suit of armor, and attended a mixed martial arts tournament in the Chechen capital Grozny featuring fights involving boys 10 years old and younger.
All of this has triggered a tsunami of public chatter …read more
Source: Voice of America