All eyes on Ramzan Kadyrov as Chechnya hosts Egypt in World Cup
(The Guardian Russia)

Chechen leader is step closer to political goal of being Putin´s link to Middle East with arrival of Egyptian teamThe Tunisians were first to visit, followed by the Iranians, and then the Saudis. But it was the Egyptians, led by the Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah, who snatched up the dubious grand prize: a World Cup training base in Chechnya. Once devastated by civil war, Chechnya is now the focus of intense international scrutiny over its crackdown on political opponents and gay people in this region in Russia´s North Caucasus. Related: The darker side of Grozny`s push to be the Dubai of the North Caucasus Related: We must get justice for gay and bisexual men murdered in Chechnya | Letters Continue reading...