""Facing death threats from Barayev as well as from the federal side, Baiev was eventually forced to seek political asylum in the United States.Following the Russian occupation of most of Chechnya, Barayev freely lived in Alkhan-Kala and frequently passed through Russian Army checkpoints without any problems, using identity papers of an FSB officer, and was also not included in the lists of people wanted "for participation in illegal armed groups".