 The Kadyrovtsy, composed mostly of separatist veterans of the first war, were now fighting for Russia against Maskhadov government troops and Islamist insurgents.The return of Russian rule over Chechnya was declared in July 2000, beginning the "Guerilla phase", and Kadyrov was appointed acting President of the Chechen Republic by Russian President Vladimir Putin until he was elected President of the Chechen Republic on 5 October 2003.The Kadyrovtsy acted as bodyguards for Kadyrov, who experience several assassination attempts, with security detail headed by Movladi Baisarov.