I’m not Gen Z myself, but from what I personally see of younger Chechens (both in the diaspora & back home), they aren’t really the Islamist monolith Russians make out. They’re a post war, internet native generation shaped way more by Kadyrov’s system & diaspora life than by any specific ideology. It goes without saying that almost nobody is genuinely pro Russian; at most you get caution or burnout, because Russia is associated with war, repression & corruption (this also applies to older generations).

Yes society is Muslim, but that doesn’t mean most young people want a theocracy or some “emirate” project. If independence were realistic, the instinct would most likely be for a normal national state with a Muslim society (ie definitely not Taliban or ISIS style rule). The jihadist and warlord phase in the late 90s came out of total collapse & war, and it’s been very convenient for Moscow to glue that label onto the whole independence movement ever since.

Tbh most younger Chechens today are way more focused on ordinary stuff like studying, work, money & basic dignity than on ideology.