'Hardman of the Caucasus' to become Chechen PM

A former militia leader who boasts an 8,000-strong private army and keeps a lion and tiger as "pets" has emerged as the favourite to become the next prime minister of Chechnya after the post became unexpectedly vacant.

Sergey Abramov, the ethnic Russian who held the job previously, has resigned, "gifting" the position to Ramzan Kadyrov, 29, whose father, a former president of Chechnya, was murdered in 2004.

Mr Kadyrov's candidacy must be confirmed by the Chechen parliament and the Chechen president, which is expected to occur this week. But there are signs of a power struggle.

Factions within the pro-Moscow administration in Grozny, the Chechen capital, are known to be opposed to Mr Kadyrov, and it remains to be seen whether the Kremlin will acquiesce, although his appointment would be consistent with Moscow's stated policy of "Chechenisation", of transferring power from ethnic Russians to loyal Chechens.

Mr Kadyrov, the self-styled hard man of the Caucasus and a boxing fanatic who counts Mike Tyson among his friends, has been tipped to take over his father's mantle for some time and has been awarded a Hero of Russia star by President Vladimir Putin.

Most observers already regard him as Chechnya's de facto leader despite the fact that Alu Alkhanov, a former policeman, technically occupies the presidential chair.

That Mr Kadyrov is now poised to become the region's premier, putting him a heartbeat away from the Chechen presidency when he turns 30 later this year and becomes eligible for the highest office, will not please human rights groups.

Human Rights Watch and others have alleged that Mr Kadyrov and his militia are directly involved in torture and kidnap, and of presiding over a reign of terror where people are dragged from their homes at night never to be seen again.

Mr Kadyrov has also been accused of operating a private dungeon near his home and of tearing strips off his enemies' backs in protracted torture sessions. He denies the allegations.

Mr Abramov has been recovering from injuries he sustained in a car crash on the outskirts of Moscow in November last year.

Mr Kadyrov, previously a rebel fighter who fought against the Russians, was appointed to carry out Mr Abramov's functions in his absence and began to stamp his own mark on Chechnya by introducing elements of Sharia law, which is derived from the teachings of the Koran. He has advocated polygamy and has clamped down on alcohol consumption and gambling.

He appeared to go too far for the Kremlin's liking recently, however, when he expelled Danish human rights groups from the region as punishment for the publications of the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohamed. He has since let them return after a representative of Mr Putinquestioned the legality of the expulsion.

Mr Abramov said he had resigned on condition that only Mr Kadyrov could take over. "The time has now come to transfer power to Ramzan," Mr Abramov told a press conference. "Ramzan Kadyrov has a big future and the experience of heading a government will come in handy for him. I'm surprised that he has not been appointed already."