With loyalty from the fierce Chechen militia and army, he has also managed to survive a dedicated Russian effort to subvert and overthrow him.

Russian authorities have long tried to develop a Chechen militia.

Chechen militias have behaved as reprehensibly, committing atrocities against Russian and Chechen civilians and accepting training and other help from foreign terrorists, including Al Qaeda.

Chechen militia and Russian special forces were stationed on rooftops, at street corners and along roads leading to polling places.

But the Russian plan is to turn over authority to the Chechen militia so it can maintain order in its own house.

The Chechen militia is not the most exemplary force in the Caucasus.

Still, residents said life might be even harder if not for the Chechen militia, which functions as a buffer between the Russians and the town.

Unlike Mr. Kadyrov, Mr. Gantamirov controls a Chechen militia, and he has especially close ties with much of the Russian military.

Deeper in Chechnya, a group of 50 Russian paratroopers surrendered to the local Chechen militia after being deployed by helicopters behind enemy lines and then abandoned.

Russian officials claimed several times the presence of US-made Stinger missiles in the hands of the Chechen militia and insurgents.