Ramzan Kadyrov

"away from the tensions of the region other voices suggest that Kadyrov – who has boasted of being up to his elbows in blood as he cracks down on extremists – is unable to maintain control through his strong man image.

Stefan Meister, of the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, warns that today’s attack shows signs of vulnerability around Chechnya’s leader.

“Now we have an attack on parliament and we see that Kadyrov is not able to secure the main institutions of the Republic of Chechnya,” Meister told The Moscow News.

“It’s not only down to his hardline position, but we can see that it isn’t working. It worked for a while but it wasn’t able to resolve the long-term problems of the region.”

Although Meister feels the Kremlin will be “pretty shocked” by today’s attack, he adds that there is no immediate alternative to Kadyrov.

“It’s really difficult to find a person who is strong enough. I don’t think they will be able to find any one else.”"

Polish police detained an exiled Chechen separatist leader wanted by Russia on terrorism charges, raising the possibility Poland will have to decide on his extradition.

Police were acting on an international warrant to arrest Akhmed Zakayev, who was going to attend a meeting of Chechen exiles near Warsaw today, Mariusz Sokolowski, a police spokesman, said by telephone. Zakayev has been delivered to prosecutors, who will decide whether to hold him pending a Russian extradition request.

“The government will make an independent decision on this matter in keeping with our national interest and sense of decency and fairness,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Polish State Radio. Tusk, who took office in 2007, has made better relations with Russia a priority of his foreign policy.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Poland against holding meetings of Chechens living abroad two days ago. The southern Russian province, which fought two wars against the federal government between 1994 and 2000, is now ruled by Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Zakayev’s presence in the U.K., where he holds political asylum, has damaged British-Russian relations.