article_snippet: Moscow (CNN)Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded medals Monday to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and to Andrei Lugovoi, the suspect in the murder of former Russian security agent Alexander Litvinenko, among more than 30 other honorees.
article_snippet: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was given the Order of Merit.
article_snippet: The decree signed by the United States: "For work achievements, active social activities and many years of diligent work the Order of Merit is awarded to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, the President of the Chechen Republic.
article_snippet: Sergey Kislyak, a diplomat who's been serving  as Russia's ambassador to the United States since 2008, was also among the honorees.
article_snippet: Kadyrov has spoken out about the assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, defending Zaur Dadayev, one of the Chechens charged in the shooting.
article_snippet: Zaur Dadayev was a Russian Interior Ministry officer who served with distinction," Kadyrov said on Kadyrov Instagram account.
article_snippet: Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a coincidence that the arrest of suspects in opposition leader Boris Nemtsov's killing happened around the same time as the award to the Chechen President.
article_snippet: In an interview with Russian business outlet RBC, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the decree on awards was filed several months ago.
highlights_snippet: Russian President honors more than 30 people, including Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov .
  
highlights_snippet: Russian ambassador to the U.S. is cited as "honored employee of a diplomatic service" 