The resistance website chechenpress.org posted on June 23 a statement by veteran field commander Doku Umarov, who in his capacity as vice president automatically succeeded Abdal-Khalim Sadulayev following the latter\'s death in a shoot-out with Russian forces on June 17. Umarov paid tribute to his slain predecessor as \"one of the most worthy sons of the Chechen people,\" who, despite his comparative youth, \"was our wise mentor in religious, political, and military matters.\" Umarov said his vision of how the ongoing war should end is for \"Russia to leave us in peace, having recognized our legal right to self-determination.\" \"I...do not think that the Chechens are less worthy than other peoples of living in their own independent state,\" Umarov said, adding that \"from the legal standpoint the Chechen Republic Ichkeria [ChRI] is an independent state.\" (RFE/RL)