Akhmad Kadyrov

Age: 52

Summary: president of the former Soviet republic of Chechnya who was elected on October 5, 2003 on a platform that promised to unite the troubled republic, which has been battling for independence from Russia since the mid-1990's, who became a target of anti-Russian guerrillas after abandoning armed rebellion to seek peace with Russia, and who had recently become a close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Cause of Death: Assassinated in a bomb explosion

Born: August 23, 1951

Died: May 9, 2004

Location: Grozny, Chechnya