The rise of Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya thoroughly quashed the fight for independence in the contested region. Since being instated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, Kadyrov has embarked on a significant campaign of power consolidation. The amount of control he has now accumulated begs the question, is he the true sovereign of Chechnya? This paper argues that this is indeed the case, beginning by highlighting the debates over the concept of sovereignty in order to dispel the false necessity of international recognition. This paper continues by forming a working definition of the role of the state so as to create a framework by which to evaluate the ultimate political authority of a region. I close my argument by noting the additional conundrum that unbalances the Putin-Kadyrov power relationship, tipping the scales in favor of the Chechen leader.
