After meeting with Putin, Kadyrov announces construction of mosque in Moscow

It is planned to build a new mosque in the south of Moscow in Akhmat Kadyrov Street, President Putin has approved this plan, the head of Chechnya has reported after his meeting with the Russian President.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that earlier, this April, Ramzan Kadyrov intervened in the issue of building a mosque in Moscow near the place, where there is already an Orthodox church. He stated then that opponents of the construction of the mosque should be mobilized or put on trial. As a result, the Mayor of Moscow promised that the mosque would be built in another place and its size would be "very modest." Human rights defenders and a Caucasus expert believed that Kadyrov had got involved in the construction of the mosque in order to show himself as the main defender of Muslims in Russia and demonstrate his increased influence.

During their meeting, they discussed the issue of building a mosque in Moscow, the head of Chechnya has stated. "The head of state has emphasized the great importance of this project for believers and noted that the issue of building a mosque should have been raised even earlier," Kadyrov said in his Telegram channel.

According to Damir Mukhetdinov, the first deputy chairman of the Russian Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM), no new mosques were built in Moscow for more than 25 years. Muslims live in all Moscow districts; their numbers are quite large, Akhmet Yarlykapov, a Caucasus expert, has added.

The "Caucasian Knot" has also reported that on July 21, 2023, after the namaz (Friday prayer) in a mosque in Moscow, believers held a march against law enforcers' raids in the mosques located in the Moscow Region. Kadyrov then condemned the marchers for their non-sanctioned protest.

The Muslim protest was caused, in particular, by the check of documents conducted during the namaz among visitors to the mosque in Kotelniki near Moscow on July 7.