A brother of the GRU's (The Main Intelligence Directorate) "Vostok" gang ringleader Sulim Yamadayev, Ruslan (Khalid) Yamadayev shot dead in central Moscow Wednesday, Russian news agencies reported.
At 5:20 p.m. on the Smolenskaya embankment a man approached a Mercedes car, which had stopped at a red traffic light, and shot former member of the State Duma Ruslan Yamadayev, who was behind the driver's wheel at the time.
Meanwhile, a law enforcement source said Yamadayev was riding in a car with former commandant of Chechnya Lt. Gen. Sergei Kizyun. The source added that Kizyun was seriously wounded and taken to a hospital.
It is reported that Yamadayev and Kizyun were shot by "Kedr" submachine gun. The attackers fled the scene in an Audi 80 car.
One of the Yamadayev brothers Isa told the reporters that the family was informed that Kadyrov is preparing assassination of the brothers. He stressed that so far he does not know the details of what have happened, but noted that his brother was shot dead in the car which belonged to Sulim Yamadayev. According to what he told his brother along with Sergei Kizyun were due to meet "with Medvedev's deputy in the Kremlin". Whether they managed to meet with him or not is unknown.
We would like to remind that the Yamadayev brothers in recent years have been at enmity with Ramzan Kadyrov. In April 2008, violent clashes took place between gangs of Kadyrovans and Yamadayevans in the city of Gudermes, in which both sides incurred significant losses.
Confrontation between Sulim Yamadayev and Ramzan Kadyrov has sharply intensified when it became known about Putin's resignation and appointment of his successor Medvedev.
Immediately there have appeared rumors in Moscow saying that after Medvedev's approval as the head of the Kremlin, he will get rid of Kadyrov as the most odious legacy of Putin.
Assertion was that one of the brothers from a competing clan, Ruslan Yamadayev, has been viewed as a counterweight to Kadyrov and that he was going to be the one to be put to forefront. Those rumors have increased the hostility of Kadyrov towards Yamadayev, who stepped up with his attacks against the brothers.
We would like to remind that in December of 2007 Kavkazan Haamash website with the reference to its sources, had reported that Kadyrov sent two killers to Moscow to eliminate Ruslan Yamadayev.
Sulim Yamadayev is the ringleader of Russian GRU's "Vostok" gang, although formally he has recently been dismissed.
Elements of the gang are stationed in the Vedeno region and in the city of Gudermes. This gang, along with the "Zapad" gang (ringleader Kakiyev) as well as Kadyrov's military formations were involved in fighting against Georgian troops in Tskhinvali last August and suffered significant losses.
Sulim Yamadayev took part in the battles in Tskhinvali although at that time he has formally been wanted by Russian authorities in connection with the murder.
Kadyrov, the ringleader of Chechen apostates, has threatened to visit Tskhinvali and personally shoot Yamadayev when it became known to him about his presence in South Ossetia.
Kavkaz Center
Our button
print version
