Putin failed to defeat them by brute force because they knew the mountain terrain, so what did he do? He bought alot of their elders in Grozky and offered them a deal, I will give you semi autonomy and your own sharia law in muncipalities in exchange for your loyalty to the Russian state and the expungal of troublemakers. Guess what? He turned Grotsky into this after it was blown to smithereens during the war, essentially paying reparations.it seems like he really has worked with the Chechens in a way that created a compromise- I think they have a certain amount of independence and they have some amount of sharia without Russian interference... and then in return they stay with Russia.
I actually met the UFC fighter... his name is hard to spell.... Khabib Nurmagomedov.... wallahi I met him..... I was at the mosque and he showed up to pray.... he is a real Muslim, it wasn't publicized or anything... he was in the area for a fight and he came to the mosque to pray and I happened to be there and I got to meet him... everyone was so excited to meet him.... so he is a real Muslim and I know he is a patriot of Russia... so it seems to me like Russia isn't really anti-Muslim and it does seem to me like Russia is more respectful of Muslims and less anti-Muslim than the US...
He is much more pragmatic than arrogant Western leaders who believe drones are the solution for an insurgency