Beyond the mountains, beyond the forests, there lies a small country

Where animals have kind eyes, and life is full of love

There is a wondrous lake sparkling, with no evil or sorrow

In the palace lives the Firebird, and it brings light to the people…

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Russia is a federation. It consists of republics endowed with a certain level of autonomy. However, according to the Сonstitution, all of them must adhere to the same fundamental laws for the country.

Yet in the Caucasus, there is one republic that is, in practice, an independent caliphate from Russia—Chechnya. The leader of Chechnya, referred to as the Padishah in the republic, has built his own little country. A place where laws do not apply. Where everything is decided by unwritten rules. Today, Chechnya is the quintessence of Russia. It is lawlessness elevated to an absolute.

It is a place where dissenters are forced to apologize on camera.

It is a place where journalists and human rights defenders are beaten and killed.

It is a place where people suspected of being LGBTQ+ are persecuted.

It is a place where dozens of such people disappear without a trace every year.

It is a place where parents preemptively kill their gay children because they know that if they don’t, the entire extended family might suffer.

It is a place where people are tortured to death in secret prisons.

It is a place where orders for blood vengeance are given publicly.

It is a place where EVERYONE knows about it, but no one talks about it.

Of course, the facade of Chechnya is mythically beautiful, like Disneyland. The capital of the republic, Grozny, is a showcase: overly majestic temples and palaces, clean wide avenues…

However, we all understand that all of this is “sewn with white threads.”

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