Ramzan Kadyrov: Health Mystery Amid Russia–Ukraine Dynamics

Recent speculations have arisen regarding the health condition of Ramzan Kadyrov, the pro-Russian Chechen leader, who is currently one of Ukraine’s prominent adversaries. On September 16, 2023, Ukrainian intelligence confirmed that Kadyrov had fallen into a coma, his health had deteriorated significantly, and he was admitted to the hospital in critical condition amidst reports of his demise.

Daily Beast cited Ukrainian military intelligence representative Andriy Yusov on September 15, 2023, stating that Ramzan Kadyrov is in critical condition, and the information has been corroborated by various medical and political sources.

Several American and European newspapers confirmed that Kadyrov was suffering from kidney and possibly liver problems, while other sources claimed he was poisoned by his personal physician, who was later killed.

Speculation about Kadyrov’s deteriorating health intensified in March 2023 when he dismissed rumors of illness but acknowledged experiencing unusual swelling. People attributed various health issues to him, including kidney and occasional liver problems.

However, following these speculations and reports, Ramzan Kadyrov responded to rumors of his illness and death by posting two videos on September 17, 2023, in which he advises outdoor exercise while walking in the rain, albeit with a notably swollen face.

Journalists have questioned the authenticity of the video footage; the Voice of America website, on September 17, 2023, noted that the recording dates of the videos are unknown.

Reports of illness or the possible demise of Ramzan Kadyrov, commonly referred to as Putin’s lapdog, have raised questions about the implications of his absence from the political and war scene and whether it will impact Russia and its war in Ukraine.

Kadyrov, one of the most fervent supporters of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, dispatched Chechen battalions to join Russian regular forces in the conflict and consistently describes himself as Putin’s foot soldier.

Ruling the predominantly Muslim Chechnya since his election in 2007, Kadyrov employs repressive governance tools, including violence, torture, and the persecution of dissidents, many of whom have fled abroad and formed opposition fronts against him.

 

The Illness Saga

Rumors surrounding Kadyrov’s health have circulated for months, initially within Chechnya and later among his foreign critics.

Ukrainian intelligence and Western sources have shown great interest in these rumors, with some speculating that he may have already passed away or is appearing in promotional videos while actually hospitalized in Moscow.

On March 3, 2023, Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that Kadyrov “has gained considerable weight in recent months, appears exceedingly swollen, and often cannot open his eyes,” raising questions about what might be happening to the “Chechen dictator.”

Bild quoted former Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Akhmed Zakayev, residing abroad, as suggesting that Kadyrov is suffering from a severe kidney ailment, which could explain his bloated appearance.

The German newspaper also speculated that Kadyrov’s energetic and agile appearances in videos might be attributed to sporadic “doping” use, asserting that “the mad Chechen man is addicted to such pills and others.”

Ukrainian sources, citing the Chechen Republic Ichkeria’s Telegram channel, confirmed that Ramzan Kadyrov is a drug addict and was transferred to Moscow for treatment by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). This explains his temporary disappearance from public view and his reappearance in casual clothing during a walk.

Newsweek later noted on September 17 that President Vladimir Putin’s ally is seriously ill.

It quoted the Ukrainian newspaper Obozrevatel, which reported, “Kadyrov has fallen into a coma, was flown to Moscow for treatment, and he underwent a kidney transplant while being in critical condition.”

The New York Post confirmed on September 16, 2023, that Kadyrov had been the target of an assassination attempt by Elkhan Suleymanov, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Chechnya, and his personal physician.

It claimed that the leader of this region buried his doctor alive after the attempt was uncovered.

Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU also reported, citing internal information from Russian security forces, that Kadyrov buried his doctor on September 10, 2023, describing him as a “traitor.”

On September 18, 2023, the B92 website reported that unconfirmed information had emerged suggesting that Kadyrov passed away during the night at the Central Clinical Hospital under the Russian Federation President’s administration, according to RIA Novosti news agency.

The Kremlin added to the commotion with a statement to Reuters on September 18, 2023, indicating that it had no information about the health of the Chechen leader when asked about reports circulating on social media claiming that the 46-year-old man was in poor health.

Spokespeople for Kadyrov also did not respond to repeated phone calls seeking comment on these reports that suggested he was receiving treatment in a Moscow hospital.

 

What Worries Moscow?

What concerns Moscow and Putin is that while Ramzan Kadyrov mobilized his troops within the Russian army to fight in Ukraine, another group of Chechens aligned with Ukraine renewed old wounds between Russia’s supporters and opponents.

Since Putin’s successful occupation of Chechnya in 2000, his strong-arm rule, and the installment of the Kadyrov family as Moscow’s cooperative enforcers, Chechens have been divided between those loyal to Moscow and those opposing it, resenting its local proxies.

One of the most feared by Moscow among these critics is Akhmed Zakayev, the leader of the Chechen separatist government in exile. He has assembled volunteer Chechen units from abroad to fight alongside the Ukrainian government against the Russian invasion.

Akhmed Zakayev was the first to speak about Kadyrov’s health issues, but Western sources initially considered him an unreliable source due to his rivalry. However, the West began to believe reports about the Chechen leader’s illness after they were extensively discussed by Ukrainian intelligence.

Already, the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion, led by the opposition general Isa Munayev, had participated in the fight against the Russians in Ukraine in 2014, along with the Sheikh Mansur Battalion.

They returned to combat Moscow once again and confront their fellow Chechens loyal to Kadyrov in the current war.

Following Putin’s brutal war on Chechnya since 1999 and his appointment of Ahmed, then Ramzan Kadyrov, as Kremlin loyalists accused of mercilessly suppressing their critics, tens of thousands of Chechen rebels fled to Europe.

Austria hosts around 35,000 Chechens, constituting the largest Chechen community there, out of a total of 250,000 in Europe.

Russia is attempting to pressure the return of some of them to face allegations of terrorism.

Whether Ramzan Kadyrov is seriously ill, has died due to organic diseases like kidney and liver issues, or survived an alleged poisoning attempt by his physician, one thing is certain: his absence from the scene will impact Russia’s forces in Ukraine for two main reasons.

First, these Chechen forces are tasked with infiltrating Ukrainian positions or carrying out special operations, which is one of the toughest roles in warfare and where Russian forces have faced setbacks recently, possibly due to the declining operations of Wagner mercenaries.

On September 18, 2023, Ukraine announced that its forces had penetrated the Russian defensive line near Bakhmut (eastern Ukraine).

The 72nd, 31st, and 83rd Divisions affiliated with Moscow were destroyed and completely lost their ability to fight in the battles near that region.

Ukraine reclaimed 7 kilometers of territory within 7 days from Russian forces in the south and east of the country as part of Kyiv’s ongoing counteroffensive.

The second reason is that Ramzan Kadyrov’s absence might give a new impetus to the Chechen opposition, which has clashed with him, as it attempts to assert its presence in the country.