Ramzan Kadyrov has backed Putin since Russia’s invasion of the Crimean Peninsula.Kremlin/east2west news
The warlord leader of Chechnya, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s main cronies, is reportedly gravely ill with kidney problems, sparking fears that he was poisoned.
Ramzan Kadyrov brought the United Arab Emirate’s chief nephrologist, or kidney specialist, to Grozny, Chechnya’s capital, for treatment, Kazakh journalist Azamat Maytanov reported.
Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic since 2007, opted for a doctor from outside of the region over concerns that he was poisoned and therefore does not trust Moscow doctors.
“Kadrov is allegedly very bad and has serious kidney problems,” Maytanov wrote.
“Kadyrov is ill and has already become a drug addict,” he continued, citing Akhmed Zakayev, the now-exiled former prime minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria . “He claims that some kind of energy pills previously supported the overactivity of the head of Chechnya.”
Kadyrov is reportedly seriously ill.Social media/EAST2WEST NEWS
Kadyrov has been a vocal ally to Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Pennisula in 2014 and has championed Putin’s cause in the year since the full-scale invasion began.
In September, he called for Russia to use low-yield nuclear weapons against Ukraine and Putin promoted him to Colonel General in the National Guard of Russia the following month, the Kyiv Independent reported. In October, he referred to the was as a “Big Jihad.”
The rumors that Kadyrov was poisoned comes after he said that one of his top generals was poisoned by an envelope last month.
Kadyrov wrote on Telegram that Apti Alaudinov, who leads the Akhmat special forces, was poisoned with a strongly scented letter on Feb. 8, Newsweek reported.
The Chechen warlord called the incident an “assassination attempt.” Alaudinov has since recovered.
Kadyrov is a controversial figure known for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian rule in Chechnya. During the conflict in Ukraine, Karimov played a significant role in supporting Putin’s actions.
Karimov publicly supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and sent Chechen fighters to support pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. He also publicly criticized Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and accused the Ukrainian government of committing war crimes against civilians.
Karimov’s close ties to Putin have been a subject of controversy. Some analysts have accused him of acting as Putin’s “enforcer” in Chechnya and using his position to maintain Russian control over the region. Others have criticized his human rights record and accused him of suppressing political opposition and persecuting LGBT individuals.
Born in Chechnya in 1976 during the Soviet era, Karimov joined the Chechen independence movement in the 1990s and fought against Russian forces during the First Chechen War. After the war, Karimov became a prominent rebel leader and was known for his brutal tactics.
In 2000, Karimov switched sides and pledged allegiance to the Russian government. He was appointed as the head of the Chechen Republic in 2007 and has since maintained a tight grip on power. Karimov has been accused of using extrajudicial killings and torture to maintain control over the region.
Despite his controversial reputation, Karimov has enjoyed strong support from Putin. The Russian president has praised Karimov as a loyal ally and has provided significant financial and political support to Chechnya under his rule.
Coverpage webdesk with input from New York Post
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