I’d like to quote a friends-only post by one of my friends: With the conferral on Ramzan Kadyrov — Hero of Russia and member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RAEN) (pictured on the right — A.N.) of the special rank of "Major General of the Militsiya (police)," the subject of the president’s address can be considered closed. He really sent quite a message.*
Let me add this: don’t tell me Medvedev had no choice. There is always a choice. If the authorities consider it necessary to pay rewards to Huron tribesmen for capturing other Huron tribesmen, they could easily have made do with golden pistols / diamond machine guns / white tigers / green pandas / mirrors / red cloth / Porsche Cayennes / beads and similar items. But Medvedev chose to present him with a general’s shoulder boards. I can’t even say what there is more of in this decision — modernization or liberalization. And here is another quote from an interview with the future Major General of the Militsiya (police): (taken from the comments on Malgin’s blog) — What rank insignia are you wearing now? —** Police captain.** — How long ago did you get them? — A month ago. — How long were you a senior lieutenant? ** — They didn’t keep me there long. About a year and a half. Everyone was petitioning on my behalf so I’d be made captain. ** — Are those shoulder boards important to you? — Of course, I am a warrior and a police officer. — So which is it — a warrior or a police officer? ** — It’s the same thing.** — What education do you have? — Higher legal education. I’m finishing it. I’m taking exams. — What exams? ** — What do you mean, what exams? Exams, that’s all. ** — What is the name of the institute you’re graduating from? — A branch of the Moscow Institute of Business. In Gudermes. The law department, that is. — What is your specialization? **— I’m a lawyer. ** — And your diploma is in what area of law? Criminal? Civil? — I forgot. I wrote down the topic, but I forgot it. There’s a lot going on right now.