Major rights groups boycotted a Moscow-sponsored rights forum in Chechnya today.
The said the event was a Kremlin attempt to lend legitimacy to Ramzan Kadyrov, a Moscow-backed Chechen leader accused of allowing torture and civilian kidnappings in his volatile province.
Only a handful of low-key activists and a host of government officials turned out for the conference, intended by Moscow to show Chechnya is returning to peace after two decades of a military conflict between Russian forces and Chechen rebels.
Mr Kadyrov, a former rebel who had been due to chair the forum, flew to Moscow instead to meet Mr Putin who praised him for his achievements.
"Chechnya has made significant and noticeable steps forward over the past few years," Mr Putin said in televised remarks. "You have done a lot to rebuild Chechnya in the past few years as deputy prime minister and the head of the republic."
Mr Putin confirmed he would nominate Mr Kadyrov (30) as president, a move certain to be rubber-stamped by Chechnya's parliament.
"If the federal centre continues to give us as much support as today, Chechnya will become the calmest and most prosperous region in coming years," Mr Kadyrov said.