Kadyrov has urged Chechen men to trim their beards and women not to cover themselves completely with veils. He criticised men who grow long beards while skipping Friday prayers and mosques, and women adopting fully covering Arab-style clothing. Kadyrov stressed that the burqa was never traditional in Chechnya. Context. Chechnya is a predominantly Muslim republic in Russia’s North Caucasus, ruled by Ramzan Kadyrov since 2007. Religion plays a highly visible role in public life