Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the newly constructed “Prophet Isa” mosque in Chechnya on Wednesday, August 21, sparked widespread reactions after visuals from the event went viral on social media.
During his visit to Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, Putin was presented with a gold-encrusted Quran, which he respectfully kissed as a gesture of honour. Putin visited Chechnya for the first time in 13 years on Tuesday, August 20, amid ongoing Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk.
Putin was accompanied by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Mufti Salah Mezhiev, the head of the spiritual administration of the Muslims of the Chechen Republic.
The viral video of Putin’s gesture of kissing and holding the Quran close garnered significant attention and praise online.
Watch the video here
Social media users expressed their opinions on Putin’s gesture in comment sections, with some praising him while others disagreed, stating that he was not allowed to touch the Islamic book.
