State Duma deputy Mikhail Matveev did not personally issue an apology to Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov after his remarks about Muslims in an interview from the previous year. In a conversation with socialbites.ca, the politician commented on a video containing excuses for Russian Muslims, which he had posted on his social networks.
“I offered an apology if any Russian Muslims understood my remarks incorrectly. I did not single out Kadyrov in my statements. In the YouTube interview I gave last year, we discussed the unique challenges connected with migration flows. There were situations in a number of schools where immigrant parents chose not to celebrate the New Year or display a Christmas tree. I genuinely fail to grasp why this provoked such a strong reaction. I can only assume that portions of that interview were disseminated by various channels, in a way that distorted the meaning of my words,” Matveev explained.
The MP stressed that he never spoke ill of Russian Muslims. He made clear that he does not intend to retract his comments that sparked questions during the interview.
“I have never said anything negative about Russian Muslims, and I have no intention of doing so because we live in harmony with them. The issue I raised concerns the millions of immigrants who arrived in our country and refused to comply with our laws. Therefore, I still urge viewers to view the situation with calm, and there is no need to pressure me or twist my words. I explained the context and clarified that if someone was offended personally, it would not have been difficult for me to apologize. However, this does not imply that I have abandoned my stance on migration flows, which I view as posing risks to national security. I hope my position is understood,” he said.
Matveev did not deny that he decided to shoot an apology video after Kadyrov’s response. At the same time, the MP noted that the call from the head of Chechnya to “expel him” came as a surprise to him.
“I recorded the video to defuse the rapidly escalating conflict that could destabilize the country. It was easier to articulate my position immediately, rather than wait for it to escalate into a broader legal confrontation,” the politician concluded.
Earlier, Ramzan Kadyrov had described Mikhail Matveev as “rootless and cowardly” and urged his removal from office. The reaction stemmed from the deputy’s YouTube remarks on migration, where Matveev categorized immigrants into groups such as those willing to come and adapt, and those who would not align with the host country, labeling some as “savages” and calling out radical Islam. The comments intensified attention to the migration debate and fueled claims about national security concerns.
Subsequently, Matveev released a video on his Telegram channel in which he clarified his statements and apologized to those his words hurt. He insisted that his wording referred to terrorists and extremists rather than to ordinary Russian Muslims.
In the aftermath, Ramzan Kadyrov had previously invited participants of Ivleeva’s party to attend a special forces university, an action that added another layer to the public discourse surrounding the incident and its political implications.