He also recalled the loss of many friends and relatives, including his father, former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, who was assassinated in a bombing in 2004.
VOA: standard.2009.04.16
Until this year, that strongman was Akhmad Kadyrov, a former rebel leader who had been persuaded to switch sides.
In October, a blatantly rigged election installed Akhmad Kadyrov, a former ally of the rebels who had come over to Moscow's side, as president of Chechnya.
On March 4th, Mr Kadyrov, who via his kadyrovtsy militia has ruled much of the region since his father Akhmad, then president, was blown up in May 2004, became Chechnya's prime minister.