Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has appointed his first cousin, Odes Baisultanov, as prime minister of the troubled Russian region, the Reuters news agency reported Tuesday.

Baisultanov, 42 and a qualified economist, was in charge of logistical support for the presidential administration in Chechnya. He became first deputy prime minister in March 2006.

The local parliament unanimously approved the appointment of Baisultanov and senior officials presented him with gifts included a kinzhal, or ceremonial sword.

The son of Kadyrov’s maternal uncle, Baisultanov grew up in the same Gudernes region of Chechnya as Kadyrov.

Close family links between political figures are not unusual in Chechnya, with blood ties common in the Caucasus region.

Akhmad Kadyrov, the former president and Ramzan’s father, died in a bomb blast at a stadium in the Chechen capital three years ago.

His son was appointed Chechen prime minister but had to wait until he turned 30 before he could legally take over as president.

Asked if it would be difficult to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, the prime minister replied: “It will be hard, but he has not gone anywhere. He is close by.”

“Together we will restore Chechnya and work for the good of our country,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters.

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