Russia: Human rights groups have poured scorn on President Vladimir Putin for bestowing Russia's highest award for valour on Mr Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of a pro-Kremlin militia notorious for the kidnap, torture and murder of Chechen civilians.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded by decree the decoration of Hero of Russia to Ramzan Kadyrov . . . for valour and heroism, shown while fulfilling his professional duty," a Kremlin statement read.
Mr Kadyrov (28) is the son of Akhmad Kadyrov, the pro-Kremlin Chechen president who was blown up last May at a ceremony in the region, where Russian forces have been fighting separatist rebels for most of the last decade.
He is seen as the most powerful man in the shattered province, where his thousands-strong militia fights for influence and profit.
The Kremlin insists the Chechen conflict is part of the US-led "war on terror" and that the guerrillas are allied with al-Qaeda, even though they have not attacked the West or demanded anything other than independence.
Rights groups say the West allows Russian troops and Mr Kadyrov's militia to operate with impunity in Chechnya, to secure both Kremlin support for anti-terror operations in ex-Soviet central Asia and access to abundant Siberian oil and gas.
Ms Tatyana Lokshina, of the Moscow Helsinki Group rights watchdog, said Mr Kadyrov was particularly infamous because he "does not just order kidnappings and abductions, but actually takes part in them himself".
"If Russia has such heroes, it is hard to say what our state has sunk to."
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