According to rumors, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is in a critical state of health. A video of him has now emerged with the aim of refuting the claims.
Currently, there are many rumors surrounding the Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov. Ukrainian media recently reported that Kadyrov was in a coma. The newspaper “Obozrevatel”, for example, reported, citing information from Ukrainian intelligence, that Kadyrov had recently flown to Moscow, was then brought back to Chechnya and would soon be taken abroad again for treatment, probably to the United Arab Emirates. United.
Information has been circulating for some time that Kadyrov suffers from a serious kidney disease. According to an Uzbek news portal, Kadyrov had previously undergone an unsuccessful kidney transplant and a Ukrainian newspaper reported that the illness had worsened. Already in the spring, it was discussed in the Russian media that his two children, still minors, were occasionally involved in government affairs.
Who is Ramzan Kadyrov?
Kadyrov, 46, has been in power in the semi-autonomous republic of Chechnya since 2007; the tabloids also call him “Putin’s bloodhound.” For years, human rights organizations have accused him of totalitarianism, violence and attacks against government opponents. Kadyrov took a clear stance on the Ukraine war and, according to his own statements, sent tens of thousands of volunteers to Ukraine to support the Russian military. The “Akhmat” special unit actually belongs to the police and national guard, but functions more as a kind of private army for Kadyrov. Since the start of the war, Kadyrov himself has emerged as a strong supporter of the war on Telegram and has been celebrated there for his military successes.
Unlike Prigozhin, Kadyrov remained loyal to Putin. During the Prigozhin uprising in June this year, Kadyrov promised to crush the Prigozhin mutiny “with harsh methods.” However, there was no confrontation between the Wagner and Akhmat units; Prigozhin himself called off the uprising.
“Just information warfare”
In direct response to these rumors, Kadyrov himself now appears to have posted a video on social media showing him looking good and taking a walk: “I advise everyone who cannot distinguish the truth from the lies to get some fresh air.” reported the Italian newspaper “La Repubblica”. Ukrainian news agency Unian emphasized that it was not clear whether the recordings were current or older.
According to an assessment by Harold Chambers, an analyst at the American Foreign Policy Research Institute, the rumors are not reliable. “It’s just an information war,” writes Chambers on X, formerly Twitter. He sees Kadyrov’s illness as confirmed, as he explained in an interview with German media that he should be in critical condition, which he considers to be “absolutely unreliable” information. (red/Portal)
>>> Harold Chambers in conversation with the “Frankfurter Rundschau”