There has been a flurry of posts on social media in recent days: Indeed Ramzan Kadyrov, from Putin Governor of Chechnya, seriously ill, fell into a coma or even died?
Since the Ukrainian newspaper Obozrewatel and the Belarusian opposition broadcaster NEXTA, citing the Head of the GRU military intelligence service, Andriy Yusov, reported that the 46-year-old had “serious systemic health problems,” circulating the wildest speculations about him. “Putin’s bloodhound”, as he is often called, is reportedly after Moscow or alternatively the United Arab Emirates was taken out, it was said. The poisoning rumor continued to circulate.
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Kadyrov had, similar to the deceased Wagner boss Dmitrij Prigoshin, also frequently criticized the conduct of the war by the Russian armed forces. Furthermore, the disappearance of his personal doctor fueled this suspicion: the doctor, who also held the position of deputy prime minister, would have been buried alive because he had administered nauseating injections to the Chechen leader.
Kadyrov contradicts rumors on Telegram channel
On Sunday, Kadyrov’s Telegram channel published a video in which he himself contradicted these rumors. In the photo, which shows him walking in the rain with a raincoat and hood, he quotes surahs from the Koran in Chechnya and says he has already walked a few kilometers. “I can only recommend that anyone who cannot distinguish truth from lies on the Internet should get some fresh air and organize their thoughts. The rain is wonderfully invigorating,” he says below.
In the video itself, at the end he says in Russian: “Do sports”. However, it is unclear where and when the video was recorded.
Kadyrov, like Prigozhin, has a large propaganda network around him and is accustomed to covering tracks and causing confusion. In any case, the weather does not indicate that he could have been flown to the Russian capital: it was not raining in Moscow at the time in question. Chechen capital Groznyj yes, reports the independent Russian portal Agenstwo.
Speculation about Kadyrov’s health
There have been speculations for some time about the health of Kadyrov, who succeeded his father at the head of the Muslim-majority Caucasus republic since 2007. Recently, they have been fueled by the fact that Kadyrov’s appearance has changed for the worse; he became fatter and looked bloated. He is also visibly swollen in the video that has now been published.
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A few weeks ago, rumors circulated that he was seriously ill with his kidneys; The Russian fueled these speculations Former State Duma deputy Gennady Gudkov – Kadyrov had a transplant, but it went wrong, he said. Who now lives in exile, Former Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Akhmad Zakayev It was also reported that Kadyrov had suffered from kidney disease for years. His absence from important engagements in Moscow, such as Putin’s speech on the anniversary of the invasion, also speaks in favor of this.
© Image: APA/AFP/SPUTNIK/ALEXEY NIKOLSKY
Video of Chechen leader’s children caused astonishment
The Ukrainian secret service has long spread speculation about Kadyrov’s health. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the domestic secret service, said in the spring that the Chechen leader had health problems as a result of drug addiction – he doped himself to appear more athletic than he was. Kadyrov’s children also raised eyebrows when they spoke in an emotional video about how scared they were of losing their father.
Kadyrov, who has been accused of massive human rights violations in his home country, has always dismissed any rumors with a laugh. Finally he said, “I don’t want to live much longer anyway.”