Chechnya's strongman Kadyrov is loyal to the Kremlin and says he has sent thousands of fighters to support the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
Moreover, Kadyrov has previously invited Putin to visit Grozny, the capital of the republic; whereupon Putin responded that he "would do everything he could" to travel.
The Russian state-controlled news agency Ria Novosti reported how Putin friendly put his arm around Kadyrov's shoulder when he was welcomed out of the helicopter the president was traveling in.
Problem for Moscow
Chechnya has been a challenge for Moscow, which has carried out two extensive, brutal, and controversial wars to keep the republic within the Russian Federation.
But under Kadyrov's leadership, Chechnya has aligned itself with the Kremlin, while maintaining a certain autonomy.
Putin, however, has not visited Chechnya since 2011.
On his trip to the Caucasus, Putin chose to stay in the city of Beslan, notorious for the severe massacre that occurred when Chechen rebels took 1,000 people hostage in a school in 2004.
It ended in a bloodbath when Russian special forces stormed the gym where the hostages were being held. At least 330 people were killed in the incident.
Comparison with Ukraine
In a speech, Putin chose to compare the incident with Ukraine's land offensive in Russia:
"Just as we fought terrorism, so we are fighting today against those who commit crimes in the Kursk region. But just as we then achieved our goals, we will achieve the goals of fighting neo-Nazis", said Putin.
He did not mention Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, or the circumstances surrounding the shooting that erupted when Russian special forces stormed the school's gym where the hostages were being held.
