Patriot turned traitor

The name of Chechnya’s Russian puppet Ramzan Kadyrov is used by Putin’s regime to spread fear and panic, to terrorize at home and abroad. Yet it is often forgotten that he started off fighting in the first half of the 1990s alongside his father against the Russians for Chechnya’s independence. Kadyrov junior became a turncoat and was richly rewarded for his savagery in suppressing his own Chechen nation by Putin. All the attributes of local power and wealth, even evidently phoney academic titles were bestowed on this murderous traitor. He was even allowed to develop his own, in effect, private army of assassins and fighters which Putin has utilized for his own nefarious purposes.

Here is a short profile of this Chechen traitor who has become the lap-dog, or rather bull terrier, of Russia’s imperialist rulers.

Advertisement

Ramzan Kadyrov

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most fervent supporters. A vocal war propagandist, Kadyrov publishes regular threats against the Ukrainian army and President Volodymyr Zelensky personally, and sent Chechen militants to fight in Ukraine.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the Kremlin’s media has paid special attention to the role of Kadyrov’s militants in the hostilities, who were nicknamed the “TikTok troops.”

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Chechen militants were tasked with “cleansing” Kyiv and “liquidating” Zelensky. Putin allegedly met with Kadyrov in person a few weeks before the invasion and instructed him to do the dirtiest work.

On March 28, Putin awarded Kadyrov the military rank of lieutenant general.

Screenshot from Kadyrov’s Telegram channel showing a tortured Ukrainian soldier captured in Severodonetsk, eastern Ukraine on May 30

Kadyrov and his people are known for serious human rights abuses in Chechnya and beyond, including extrajudicial killings, torture, kidnapping and the persecution of homosexuals.

In 2017, Kadyrov was personally sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act, and in 2020, the U.S. imposed another set of sanctions on the Chechen leader for massive violations of human rights.

Advertisement

Kadyrov’s image as strongman and punisher has been cultivated in Russia for many years. As a result, Russians are terrified of Kadyrov and his militants.

But there is not the slightest fear of Kadyrov or his people in Ukraine. On Feb. 26 the National Guard of Ukraine killed Kadyrov’s colonel Magomed Tushayev and half of his regiment operating in Ukraine.

Kadyrov the suspect Chechen patriot

Kadyrov was born on Oct. 5, 1976 in the North Caucasus village of Tsentaray (now Akhmat-Yurt), located 52 kilometers from Grozny in Chechnya.

His father, Akhmat-Haji Kadyrov, was a leading politician and religious figure and member of the Chechen independence movement.

After obtaining a high school diploma in 1992, the young Ramzan joined the army to fight for Chechnya’s independence. Between1994 and 1996, both he and his father fought against military units of the Russian federal government. Kadyrov stated in one interview that he killed his first Russian at 16 years old.

In 1999, Kadyrov and his father supported Putin in the second Chechen war. Patriots in Chechnya called them out as traitors for doing so.

Advertisement

In 2000, Kadyrov’s father was appointed head of the puppet Chechnya administration. Meanwhile, Kadyrov became an inspector of special communications within a police unit designed to protect the Republic’s top leadership and preserve state facilities.

In 2003, Kadyrov’s father was elected president of Chechnya, while Kadyrov led a team of personal security guards tasked with protecting the president.

In early 2004, Kadyrov held the position of assistant chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Chechnya, and was a member of the State Council of the Republic.

On May 9, 2004, Kadyrov’s father was assassinated. Within days, Kadyrov junior was appointed deputy prime minister of the Chechen government. In December of that year, Vladimir Putin awarded him the title Hero of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin awarding Kadyrov with the prestigious title Hero of the Russian Federation (Kadyrov_95 Instagram)

Efforts were made to enhance his image by presenting this brute as a highly intelligent figure and legal specialist.

In 2004, Kadyrov received a law degree with honors from the University of Business and Law in Dagestan, Makhachkala.

In 2006 he became a candidate in economic sciences, an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences, and a professor at several higher educational institutions in Chechnya.

Eventually, in early 2007, Putin signed a decree appointing Kadyrov president of Chechnya.

Advertisement
Inauguration of Kadyrov in 2007 (Source: Grozny.tv)

Kadyrov formed his team from loyal people, including relatives and fellow villagers. Human rights activists repeatedly accused his regime of rights abuses, intimidation, illegal detention, beatings, torture and killings.

Killer as family man

The Chechen strongman is married to Medna Musaivna. They grew up in the same village and married when she was 17 and he was 19. They have 12 children together: six daughters and six sons, two of whom were adopted in 2007.

Kadyrov and his family

Support of Putin’s aggression n Ukraine and assassination of Boris Nemtsov

In 2014, Kadyrov became a member of the State Council under the President of the Russian Federation. He acknowledged the participation of Chechen troops in the ranks fighting against the Ukrainian armed forces at the time, but stressed that there were no regular units present.

However, he was included in the sanctions lists of the EU, U.S., Switzerland, and Canada for supporting terrorists in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

The possible participation of Kadyrov’s troops in hostilities was detailed in a report by Boris Nemstov, a liberal Russian politician, reformist and vocal Putin critic.

But Nemstov’s work was never finished and in February 2015 he was shot dead in the center of Moscow. Chechen Ruslan Mukhudinov was named as the mastermind and organizer of the murder, while killer Zaur Dadaev was sentenced to 20 years in prison. There is an opinion that Kadyrov ordered the assassination.

Kadyrov’s militants preparing to capture Kyiv (Credit Telegram channel) March 10

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Kadyrov’s troops along with other Russian units began invading Ukraine from Belarus on Feb. 24. There are no exact data on the number of Chechen fighters who joined the attack against Ukraine, although intelligence officials believe the number exceeds1,200 militants.

Advertisement

Kadyrov’s units failed to achieve their goals of assassinating Zelensky and capturing Kyiv. Chechen forces suffered significant losses in Ukraine, while Kadyrov himself, despite aggressive statements, did not dare to visit Ukraine personally.

The Chechen bull terrier continues to growl, threaten and bite – all in the faithful service of his Kremlin master.

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Comments (0)

https://www.kyivpost.com/assets/images/author.png
Write the first comment for this!