Russia's Chief Auditor Implicitly Rejects Chechen Leader's Property Declaration

During a May 27 interview with REN-TV pegged to Russian Justice Minister Aleksandr Konovalov's report to the Federation Council on official corruption, Audit Chamber Chairman Sergei Stepashin was asked to comment on the income and property declaration recently made public by Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kadyrov gave his income for 2008 in that capacity as 3,442,000 rubles ($108,573); he did not admit to any other sources of income.

The only property Kadyrov admitted to owning was an apartment in Grozny of 36 square meters and a small Russian-manufactured sedan. REN-TV pointed out that Kadyrov is known to own several expensive sports cars, including a Lamborghini, a Ferrari F430, and numerous Porsche SUVs; he also has a string of thoroughbred racehorses.

In the most concrete indication to date that some circles in Moscow consider Kadyrov's off-the-wall statements an embarrassment, Stepashin replied that "the entire republic is Kadyrov's property. There is no need to feel sorry for him."