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 . Kadyrov was given the Order of Merit . The decree signed by Putin states : `` For work achievements , active social activities and many years of diligent work the Order of Merit is awarded to Ramzan Kadyrov , the President of the Chechen Republic . '' Lugovoi , the suspect in the poisoning death of former Russian security agent Alexander Litvinenko , was given a second-class medal of the Order of Merit for the Motherland , according to Putin 's decree . Sergey Kislyak , a diplomat who 's been serving as Russia 's ambassador to the United States since 2008 , was also among the honorees . He was cited as an `` Honored employee of a diplomatic service . '' Lugovoi is an MP in Russia 's lower house of parliament for the nationalist and pro-Kremlin Liberal Democratic Party . He is deputy chairman of the lower house 's security and anti-corruption committee . He also has hosted a show called `` Traitors '' on Russian TV and runs a restaurant in Moscow . Kadyrov has spoken out about the assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov , defending Zaur Dadayev , one of the Chechens charged in the shooting . `` Zaur Dadayev was a Russian Interior Ministry officer who served with distinction , '' Kadyrov said on his Instagram account . Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a coincidence that the arrest of suspects in Nemtsov 's killing happened around the same time as the award to the Chechen President . In an interview with Russian business outlet RBC , he stressed that the decree on awards was filed several months ago .
Russian President honors one people , including Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov . Also honored : Andrei Lugovoi , charged by the UK with London murder of former Russian security agent . Russian ambassador to the U.S. is cited as `` honored employee of a diplomatic service ''