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Seda Makhadzheva,15, sits with her friends in her kitchen as they adjust her hijab. Seda started wearing the Islamic head covering a year ago, despite her mother's disapproval. Diana Markosian
A complex of high-rise towers is seen through the arches of the huge central mosque in downtown Grozny. Chechnya has undergone a stunning transformation, from ruin to rebirth, in the space of a few short years – thanks to billions in aid from Moscow. Diana Markosian
Chechen men gather for prayer in the Heart of Chechnya mosque in the capital of Grozny. The Turkish-built mosque, which can hold up to 10,000 worshipers, is reportedly the largest mosque in Europe. Diana Markosian
A couple on a date at a local park in downtown Grozny must be discreet: Today it is against the law for an unmarried couple to hold hands or display any affection in public. Diana Markosian
A teen bride in a hijab is glimpsed through the guests at her wedding. All women must cover their heads in public schools and government buildings, but more and more women are embracing the hijab – a sharp break from most family traditions here. Diana Markosian
Party guests at the teen’s wedding (see previous photo) stand on opposite sides of the room. Such segregation of the sexes at social gatherings is in keeping with both Chechen tradition and Islamic law. Diana Markosian
Chechnya has been savaged in two wars in as many decades, which killed an estimated 350,000 people, created hundreds of thousands of refugees, and laid waste to the entire republic. The Kremlin finally declared victory over the separatist threat in 2009 and withdrew most Russian military forces, leaving strongman Akhmad Haji Kadyrov in charge. He has wide discretion, and seems to encourage a cult of personality around him. Diana Markosian
A military checkpoint in the mountains of Itum-Kale, Chechnya. No one publicly questions the growing personality cult of strongman Kadyrov, whose bearded face gazes down from billboards and posters that sprout almost everywhere. Diana Markosian
Separatist and Islamist rebels have been largely defeated and driven into a few mountain strongholds. Diana Markosian
Commuters in a van recite Islamic prayers as they pass a cemetery on the outskirts of Grozny. Praying for those in a graveyard as you pass by it is a Chechen tradition. Diana Markosian
Today, thanks to billions of dollars in Kremlin aid, downtown Grozny now features broad avenues – including one named after Russian leader Vladimir Putin – lined with luxury boutiques and glass-fronted skyscrapers. Many of the city's once-shattered residential neighborhoods now boast clusters of graceful high-rise apartment blocks. Diana Markosian
Chechen performers at an Islamic festival in Grozny. Kadyrov has been reinforcing traditional aspects of Islamic law, including some things that violate the Russian Constitution. Diana Markosian
Seda Davlokova,19, a student at the Chechen State University, prepares for class. She lives in refugee housing, along with her grandmother and cousin. People who fled to Ingushetia or Dagestan during the war were allocated rooms in this housing project on the outskirts of Grozny. They have refugee status and are given some form of compensation. Diana Markosian
Students sit in a college lecture hall in Grozny. In defiance of Russia's constitution, Kadyrov (in poster) has allegedly moved to impose Sharia law in the tiny republic, including mandatory headscarves and dress codes for women, encouraging polygamy, and granting forgiveness for so-called 'honor killings.' Diana Markosian
In Pictures: Derby Day devotees, Kenyan style
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/16
In Pictures: Dazzle like Beckham
In Pictures: Weather extremes 2013
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/15
In Pictures: Duchess Kate's royal baby bump
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/14
In Pictures: Keffiyeh is rebel chic
Ramzan Kadyrov's sparring match – ostensibly good-natured 'criticism' of the minister's job performance – is seen by some as reflective of the darker undertones of Kadyrov's hard rule.
The phrase "banging heads" is often deployed as a political metaphor, but is seldom intended literally.
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