A spokesman for Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has rejected allegations that Kadyrov ordered the assassinations of three brothers, RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service reports.The Russian daily Moskovsky komsomolets published on April 21 a link to a video of what it said was the pretrial interrogation of Khavazh Yusupov, currently on trial for trying to kill Moscow-based Chechen businessman Isa Yamadayev. Yamadayev survived an assassination attempt in Moscow in July 2009 when Yusupov allegedly shot at him and missed.
In the video, Yusupov claims he met with Kadyrov last summer. He says Kadyrov admitted to having ordered the assassination of Isa's brothers, Ruslan and Sulim, and pressured him to agree to kill Isa, saying he would have Yusupov's wife and children killed if he refused to do so. Yusupov admits to trying to kill Yamadayev, but says he only did so because of the threats made by Kadyrov.
Kadyrov's spokesman, Alvi Kerimov, denied in an interview with RFE/RL that Yusupov ever visited Kadyrov's home, travelled in his car, or discussed any issues with him.
Ruslan Yamadayev was shot dead in Moscow in September 2008. Dubai authorities say his brother, Sulim, was assassinated in that city in March 2009, although his relatives insist he survived that attempt and is recovering in the United Arab Emirates.