Kathrine Frich
Ramzan Kadyrov was born on October 5, 1976 and rose to power in Chechnya amid the chaos of Russia’s second war in the region.
He is the son of Akhmad Kadyrov, a former separatist mufti who switched sides to Moscow, he became head of Chechnya in 2007 with the backing of Vladimir Putin.
Since then, Kadyrov has positioned himself as one of the Kremlin’s most loyal regional leaders, ruling Chechnya with an iron grip while enjoying broad autonomy in exchange for unwavering support of Putin and Russia’s wars.
Loyal enforcer
Kadyrov has built his authority on a mix of fierce pro-Kremlin rhetoric, personal militias and a cult of loyalty.
His fighters have been deployed in Ukraine since the early stages of the invasion, often promoted by Kadyrov as proof of Chechnya’s devotion to Moscow.
During a live television broadcast this week, Kadyrov addressed questions about whether conscripts in Chechnya were being forced to take part in what Russia calls the “special military operation”.
“It’s absolute nonsense,” he said in Russian.
He then added in Chechen that parents should welcome their sons’ participation, saying they “should be happy that their sons are enlisted in the SVO, because there is nothing more important than having the opportunity to defend their homeland,” according to the on-air translation.
Translation dispute
That interpretation was quickly challenged. Native Chechen speakers told The Moscow Times that Kadyrov’s wording did not refer to defending the homeland.
Instead, they said he was referring to “participating in ghazawat (jihad),” commonly understood as a “holy war.”
The comments come as Russian regions continue to absorb heavy losses from the war, with grieving families often discouraged from speaking publicly.
Power and health
Kadyrov also used the broadcast to address speculation about his condition and future.
He said he was in “excellent health” but added that he does not wish to live to old age, preferring to “leave this world while everyone loves me.”
He claimed to be “tired” of power and suggested that new leaders in Chechnya “would be more interesting”.
Staying put
Despite those statements, Kadyrov said he is ready to run again in Chechnya’s 2026 presidential election.
He was last re-elected in September 2021 with 99.7% of the vote and has ruled the republic longer than any other current regional leader in Russia.
According to The Moscow Times, this year’s live broadcast was nearly cancelled amid reports of declining health, though no official diagnosis has been confirmed.
Sources: The Moscow Times, Digi24
