On February 2, the Chechen rebel leader Abdul-Khalim Sadulaev issued three new decrees that radically changed the structure of the separatist government. In the decrees, which were posted on the Chechenpress, Kavkazcenter and Daymohk websites, the leader declares the principle that "all the heads of the ministries and departments of the Cabinet of Ministers of the government should stay on Chechen territory." He further declared: "I decree to move the activities of all structures of the Cabinet of Ministers of the ChRI, excluding the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Culture of the ChRI, to the territory of the ChRI [Chechnya]."
Following the decrees, Sadulaev sacked all ministers living abroad, including such key figures in the separatist camp as Akhmed Zakaev, who lost his position as a deputy prime minister, and Movladi Udugov, who was the minister of information and press in the dismissed government. On an audiocassette that was given to the press service of the separatist leader, Sadulaev explained the changes by saying that the rebel field commanders' Military Council (Madjlis-ul-Shura) had vowed "already long ago" to transfer "the leaders of all ministries, departments and civil services back to Chechen territory," so that "the propaganda of our enemies would not speak about the ‘government in exile,' calling into question our determination to gain, through the help of Supreme Allah, a victory over the aggressors" (Chechenpress, Kavkazcenter, Daymohk, February 2).
Another explanation that Sadulaev gave for the decrees was dissatisfaction with "the public dispute between some ministers of the Chechen Government about fundamental questions of the Chechen political system." He criticized the head of his administration, Ibragim Mejidov, for having not stopped immediately these disagreements between the officials and called upon the ministers to maintain discipline.