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| Menacing Video Posted by Chechen Leader Alarms Critics of Putin in Russia | Menacing Video Posted by Chechen Leader Alarms Critics of Putin in Russia |
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| MOSCOW — Members of Russia’s political opposition reacted with fear and outrage on Monday after one of President Vladimir V. Putin’s most loyal and aggressive allies posted a menacing video online that appeared to show a Kremlin critic in the cross hairs of a sniper’s rifle. | MOSCOW — Members of Russia’s political opposition reacted with fear and outrage on Monday after one of President Vladimir V. Putin’s most loyal and aggressive allies posted a menacing video online that appeared to show a Kremlin critic in the cross hairs of a sniper’s rifle. |
| The video, posted to the Instagram account of Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, shows Mikhail M. Kasyanov, a former prime minister of Russia turned Putin critic, on a visit to Strasbourg, France, with another opposition politician, Vladimir Kara-Murza. | |
| Mr. Kadyrov, a former Islamist rebel, has repeatedly criticized opposition figures as traitors trying to undermine Russia for the benefit of their Western masters, and has called for the use of Soviet-era tactics against “enemies of the people,” who he has said should be put on trial or committed to psychiatric wards. | Mr. Kadyrov, a former Islamist rebel, has repeatedly criticized opposition figures as traitors trying to undermine Russia for the benefit of their Western masters, and has called for the use of Soviet-era tactics against “enemies of the people,” who he has said should be put on trial or committed to psychiatric wards. |
| In the Instagram post, Mr. Kadyrov wrote that the men were in France seeking money for the opposition, and he included four emojis representing bags of cash. | In the Instagram post, Mr. Kadyrov wrote that the men were in France seeking money for the opposition, and he included four emojis representing bags of cash. |
| The video, posted on Sunday, received more than 17,500 likes in 24 hours before it was removed on Monday. Mr. Kadyrov seemed to accuse Instagram of censoring him because of his anti-American views. “As soon as I said a few words about the U.S. hellhounds, they have deleted my post on Instagram,” he wrote, referring to Mr. Kasyanov and Mr. Kara-Murza. “Here you have it, the celebrated American freedom of speech!” | The video, posted on Sunday, received more than 17,500 likes in 24 hours before it was removed on Monday. Mr. Kadyrov seemed to accuse Instagram of censoring him because of his anti-American views. “As soon as I said a few words about the U.S. hellhounds, they have deleted my post on Instagram,” he wrote, referring to Mr. Kasyanov and Mr. Kara-Murza. “Here you have it, the celebrated American freedom of speech!” |
| A spokeswoman for the social network said in an email that the post was removed because it violated Instagram’s guidelines against threats or harassment. | A spokeswoman for the social network said in an email that the post was removed because it violated Instagram’s guidelines against threats or harassment. |
| The video was posted just weeks before the anniversary of the assassination of Boris Nemtsov, a prominent opposition figure gunned down last February in Moscow. | The video was posted just weeks before the anniversary of the assassination of Boris Nemtsov, a prominent opposition figure gunned down last February in Moscow. |
| Five Chechen men were charged with Mr. Nemtsov’s murder, including a former member of Chechnya’s security forces whom Mr. Kadyrov praised as a patriot. | Five Chechen men were charged with Mr. Nemtsov’s murder, including a former member of Chechnya’s security forces whom Mr. Kadyrov praised as a patriot. |
| Mr. Kasyanov, who served as prime minister of Russia under Mr. Putin from May 2000 to February 2004, called the video “incitement to murder” and asked Mr. Putin to condemn it. | Mr. Kasyanov, who served as prime minister of Russia under Mr. Putin from May 2000 to February 2004, called the video “incitement to murder” and asked Mr. Putin to condemn it. |
| It is unclear why Mr. Kadyrov recently intensified his online attacks on the small, largely ineffective opposition to Mr. Putin. | It is unclear why Mr. Kadyrov recently intensified his online attacks on the small, largely ineffective opposition to Mr. Putin. |
| In an interview in January, Mr. Kadyrov likened some politicians, activists and journalists in Russia to enemies of the state who should be tried for treason. And he wrote in an online editorial in Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, that a psychiatric hospital in Chechnya could admit government critics. | In an interview in January, Mr. Kadyrov likened some politicians, activists and journalists in Russia to enemies of the state who should be tried for treason. And he wrote in an online editorial in Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, that a psychiatric hospital in Chechnya could admit government critics. |
| Those “who dream about the destruction of our state may never wash off the stink of the cowardly dog,” he wrote, adding that the Chechen hospital would be liberal with the needle. “Wherever one injection is prescribed, we can make two,” he wrote. | Those “who dream about the destruction of our state may never wash off the stink of the cowardly dog,” he wrote, adding that the Chechen hospital would be liberal with the needle. “Wherever one injection is prescribed, we can make two,” he wrote. |
| A top aide to Mr. Kadyrov then posted a picture of the Chechen leader handling an aggressive Circassian shepherd named Tarzan, whose “fangs were itching” to bite important opposition figures. “We can barely restrain him,” the aide wrote in an online posting. “Just imagine what would happen if it weren’t for democracy.” | A top aide to Mr. Kadyrov then posted a picture of the Chechen leader handling an aggressive Circassian shepherd named Tarzan, whose “fangs were itching” to bite important opposition figures. “We can barely restrain him,” the aide wrote in an online posting. “Just imagine what would happen if it weren’t for democracy.” |
| A few opposition figures mocked the threat, posting pictures online of their own pets. | A few opposition figures mocked the threat, posting pictures online of their own pets. |
| Social media in Russia erupted on Monday with discussion of the violent tenor of the online political commentary. | Social media in Russia erupted on Monday with discussion of the violent tenor of the online political commentary. |
| “In Russia a party of those who like to throw people in jail is competing with a party of those who prefer to kill them,” wrote one wry critic of Mr. Kadyrov on Vkontakte, a Russian social media network. “And you say there is no political competition!” | “In Russia a party of those who like to throw people in jail is competing with a party of those who prefer to kill them,” wrote one wry critic of Mr. Kadyrov on Vkontakte, a Russian social media network. “And you say there is no political competition!” |
| An online supporter of Mr. Kadyrov praised the Chechen leader’s resolution: “I respect him! Well done, that’s what you call a real man.” | An online supporter of Mr. Kadyrov praised the Chechen leader’s resolution: “I respect him! Well done, that’s what you call a real man.” |
| Mr. Kadyrov has been an outspoken defender of Mr. Putin and his policies, especially amid the increasingly bleak economic conditions caused by the collapse of global oil prices. | Mr. Kadyrov has been an outspoken defender of Mr. Putin and his policies, especially amid the increasingly bleak economic conditions caused by the collapse of global oil prices. |
| Moscow is slashing regional subsidies, and some political observers have said Mr. Kadyrov fears losing money from Moscow, which accounts for about 83 percent of Chechnya’s budget. | Moscow is slashing regional subsidies, and some political observers have said Mr. Kadyrov fears losing money from Moscow, which accounts for about 83 percent of Chechnya’s budget. |
| By picking fights with the opposition, Mr. Kadyrov may be trying to further ingratiate himself with Mr. Putin and remind him that Chechnya, once torn by war and now cowed into submission, deserves special consideration. | By picking fights with the opposition, Mr. Kadyrov may be trying to further ingratiate himself with Mr. Putin and remind him that Chechnya, once torn by war and now cowed into submission, deserves special consideration. |
| Other political observers have wondered if Mr. Putin and his public relations agents, feeling insecure because of the economic downturn and an increasingly sullen public mood, are encouraging Mr. Kadyrov as a way to dissuade any sort of public demonstration against the Kremlin before parliamentary elections scheduled for September. | Other political observers have wondered if Mr. Putin and his public relations agents, feeling insecure because of the economic downturn and an increasingly sullen public mood, are encouraging Mr. Kadyrov as a way to dissuade any sort of public demonstration against the Kremlin before parliamentary elections scheduled for September. |
| “This is one way that Putin is responding and just scaring everyone,” said Max Trudolyubov, an editor at large for Vedomosti, Russia’s main business daily. | “This is one way that Putin is responding and just scaring everyone,” said Max Trudolyubov, an editor at large for Vedomosti, Russia’s main business daily. |
| Dmitry S. Peskov, the president’s spokesman, told Russian reporters that he might comment about the video later, after he studied the Instagram post. | Dmitry S. Peskov, the president’s spokesman, told Russian reporters that he might comment about the video later, after he studied the Instagram post. |
| In the past, Mr. Putin has backed Mr. Kadyrov after controversial statements. Last month he called Mr. Kadyrov an effective leader and gave him control of a local oil company. | |
| But for many Russian observers, Mr. Kadyrov comes off as a bully who now finds Chechnya too small for his ambitions, and has turned to social media — he has 1.6 million followers on Instagram — to project his bravado. On Chechen television, he recently forced a young Chechen man who had criticized Mr. Putin on Instagram to recant while jogging in his underwear. Mr. Kadyrov also harshly berated a Chechen woman who had used social media to criticize high utility prices and called him a show-off. | But for many Russian observers, Mr. Kadyrov comes off as a bully who now finds Chechnya too small for his ambitions, and has turned to social media — he has 1.6 million followers on Instagram — to project his bravado. On Chechen television, he recently forced a young Chechen man who had criticized Mr. Putin on Instagram to recant while jogging in his underwear. Mr. Kadyrov also harshly berated a Chechen woman who had used social media to criticize high utility prices and called him a show-off. |
| “I think it is because Kadyrov has no borders,” said Elena Milashina, who covers Chechnya for the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper. “Chechnya will come to us and Russia will soon be like Chechnya.” | “I think it is because Kadyrov has no borders,” said Elena Milashina, who covers Chechnya for the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper. “Chechnya will come to us and Russia will soon be like Chechnya.” |
| The political opposition in Moscow, repulsed by the barely muted violence of Mr. Kadyrov and the repression he pursues in Chechnya, has recognized that the pugnacious leader has served an important role for Mr. Putin in pacifying the once-rebellious republic where Russia has fought two recent wars. | The political opposition in Moscow, repulsed by the barely muted violence of Mr. Kadyrov and the repression he pursues in Chechnya, has recognized that the pugnacious leader has served an important role for Mr. Putin in pacifying the once-rebellious republic where Russia has fought two recent wars. |
| For Mr. Putin, criticizing Mr. Kadyrov now would be considered a sign of weakness. “It would be a very big step, like confessing that the whole model of putting down Chechnya was wrong,” Ms. Milashina said. | For Mr. Putin, criticizing Mr. Kadyrov now would be considered a sign of weakness. “It would be a very big step, like confessing that the whole model of putting down Chechnya was wrong,” Ms. Milashina said. |