Chechnya bracing for succession

Speculation is growing about the health of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-allied strongman who has ruled Chechnya since 2007

Ramzan Kadyrov, 48, has been Kremlin’s iron fist in Chechnya – crushing separatism and dissent in exchange for broad autonomy and richer subsidies from Moscow than other regional leaders

Apparent illness: Raises question of who could maintain control over part of southern Russia where wars killed tens of thousands of people in 1990s and 2000s

Kadyrov’s 17-year-old son Adam (left) is seen as potential heir, but Russian law requires regional leaders to be at least 30

Other possible contenders

Magomed Daudov (above left) Longtime Kadyrov ally, often chairs high-profile events in his absence. Gained global notoriety in 2017 for reportedly leading anti-gay purge in Chechnya

Apti Alaudinov (above right) Former top Chechen security official survived dismissal in 2021 by signing up to fight in Ukraine, where he became prominent war commentator for Russian TV

50km 30 miles
CHECHNYA
Grozny
RUSSIA
INGUSHETIA
GEORGIA
NORTH OSSETIA
DAGESTAN



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