On June 2, Mikhail Gutseriev, President and Founder of the Safmar Group and a native of Ingushetia, was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Chechnya by Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic.
During the ceremony, Kadyrov announced that he had signed a decree conferring the title on Gutseriev, describing him as “our dear uncle, an outstanding entrepreneur, and a true patriot of Russia.” He emphasized his long acquaintance with Gutseriev, calling him “a devoted son of our Fatherland, a man with a generous heart, who always serves the interests of our country with honor and dignity.”
Kadyrov highlighted Gutseriev’s steadfast support for the policies of the republic’s first president, Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, during challenging times and underscored their warm, personal, and trusting relationship. He further noted Gutseriev’s significant contributions to Chechnya’s post-conflict recovery, stating that his support was crucial in realizing major social projects aimed at improving citizens’ living standards, strengthening infrastructure, and advancing the region’s economy.
Mikhail Gutseriev is a prominent Russian businessman and philanthropist with deep historical and personal ties to the North Caucasus, particularly Chechnya. Born in 1958 in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, Gutseriev began his entrepreneurial journey in the region during the late Soviet era. His relationship with Chechnya is multifaceted, encompassing humanitarian efforts, economic initiatives, and involvement in hostage negotiations. Between 1996 and 2006, he played a key role in facilitating the release of numerous hostages kidnapped in the North Caucasus, including foreign nationals and Russian officials, such as Valentin Vlasov, the Russian government’s plenipotentiary representative in Chechnya, and Vincent Cochetel, a UN official. In addition to his mediation efforts, Gutseriev invested in Chechnya’s post-conflict reconstruction, financing the rebuilding of educational institutions, including a lyceum in Grozny that replaced his former school, destroyed during the war. Gutseriev’s economic ventures extended to neighboring Ingushetia, where he leveraged the region’s status as a tax-free zone in the 1990s to attract investment through his bank. His influence in the North Caucasus, both economic and political, occasionally put him at odds with federal authorities. In 2007, facing legal pressures and citing “unprecedented bullying” by the Russian government, he stepped down from his oil company, RussNeft, and temporarily relocated to London. He later returned to Russia after charges were dropped, reportedly due to his role in stabilizing tensions in Ingushetia.