Chechen warlord and Putin ally Kadyrov reportedly in Ukraine, near Kyiv

Leader of the Muslim-majority Chechen Republic is personally taking part in the war in Ukraine, as appears in a video which went viral showing him with other Chechen fighters.

World

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

14 March, 2022

Kadyrov and fighters seen in the video were purportedly very close to Kyiv [Getty- archive]

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has reportedly travelled to Ukraine to personally fight alongside Russian forces, as Moscow’s invasion of its neighbouring country nears its third week.

A video initially published by Chechen TV, which has since gone viral, shows Kadyrov speaking to Chechen fighters, who had previously announced that they were going to partake in the war.

Kadyrov speaks only briefly, as a soldier explains how a unit took control of an orphanage 7 kilometres from Kyiv.

"The strategy that you suggested to us turned out to be 100 percent correct," the soldier says in the video, which was captioned "Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov together with fighters participating in a special military operation in Ukraine."

Chechen TV reports that Ramzan Kadyrov is in Ukraine with his special forces.

Ukrainian intelligence agencies have stated that they are out looking for Kadyrov.

Make the world a favor Ukraine!

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— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 14, 2022

Russian news agency Sputnik claimed the video was taken only seven kilometres from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, which Russian forces have closed in on from most directions.

The former rebel-turned-Russia-ally had previously announced that around 10,000 fighters from the self-autonomous Chechen Republic were "quietly advancing" in Ukraine, and that some had been killed in the fighting.

Hundreds have already died in the war while over 2.5 million have fled Ukraine.