The Kremlin is reportedly scrambling to find a successor to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader known for his unwavering loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Russian media reports, Kadyrov has been diagnosed with necrotizing pancreatitis, a terminal illness, and has been regularly undergoing procedures at Moscow Central Clinical Hospital for several years. The illness was reportedly diagnosed five years ago, and Ukrainian intelligence has also pointed to Kadyrov’s ailing health in the past year, indicating that he may have been in a coma.
Kadyrov’s potential successor could be Major General Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Chechen special forces volunteer association, who was personally appointed to the role by Putin. Kadyrov has sent soldiers to fight for Russia in Ukraine and has been a staunch supporter of Putin within Russia. However, the news of his terminal illness has raised concerns within the Kremlin, as Putin looks to maintain control over Chechnya, a decades-old objective for Moscow.
The loss of Kadyrov, Putin’s loyal foot soldier, could directly impact domestic support for the war. Some Chechens have already expressed disapproval of Putin’s war in Ukraine and have even joined frontline battalions aiding Ukraine’s defense. In return, some Ukrainians have vowed to fight for a free Chechnya once the war is over.
Kadyrov has attempted to dismiss the reports of his terminal ailment, posting a video of himself working out to signal that his diagnosis is not holding him back. However, the Kremlin has also previously worked to spread the narrative that Kadyrov is healthy. As the situation in Chechnya unfolds, the search for a successor to Kadyrov and the implications for Putin’s control over the region remain closely watched.
