Chechen leader Kadyrov's health crisis and the rise of hardliner successor

Recently, there's been growing speculation regarding Ramzan Kadyrov's health. Reports in "Novaya Gazeta Europe" suggest the Chechen leader is battling a serious illness. Intriguingly, his potential successor has been named Apti Alaudinov, who is known for his controversial statements about the war in Ukraine and the fate of Europe.

The independent "Novaya Gazeta Europe" claims that Ramzan Kadyrov has been dealing with pancreatic necrosis for several years, a diagnosis reportedly made in 2019. The publication highlights his frequent medical consultations and notable absences from key events.

For instance, Kadyrov was conspicuously absent during Vladimir Putin's 2023 speech to the Federal Assembly and a meeting with leaders from the North Caucasus regions. He also remained silent when Yevgeny Prigozhin led a group of Wagner mercenaries in a march on Moscow last year.

Is Kadyrov sick? For years, there's been speculation about his health. After the "Novaya Gazeta Europe" report, Kadyrov posted a gym video on social media to showcase his vigor.

Meanwhile, "Novaya Gazeta Europe" suggests that the Kremlin has likely chosen Chechnya's next leader - aptly, it’s Apti Alaudinov.

On April 16, President Vladimir Putin appointed Alaudinov as deputy head of the main directorate for political-military affairs in the Ministry of Defense. According to the newspaper, this move is poised to be a springboard to a spectacular future career.

Born on October 5, 1973, Apti Alaudinov is a major general in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. He is also the secretary of the Chechen Security Council and leads the Chechen battalion "Akhmat," which is active in Ukraine.

Since 2020, the United Kingdom has sanctioned Alaudinov, including travel bans and frozen bank accounts. In November 2022, Poland also sanctioned him at the Polish Chief of Police's behest.

In a notable accolade in August 2022, Vladimir Putin honoured Alaudinov with the title Hero of the Russian Federation.

Last year, Gen. Apti Alaudinov appeared on a program hosted by a Kremlin-backed propagandist on Channel 1. Journalist Julia Davis shared portions of their discussion on platform X (formerly known as Twitter), especially about the war in Ukraine. The conversation was illuminating.

"What is this war that we are fighting? How do you perceive it, and how has it evolved over two years?" the propagandist Soloviev inquired.

"In reality, for Russia, this is a holy war and nothing else. It's holy because we didn't want to take from Ukraine some piece of land, some mountain or some mine. What they have or don't have is not important," Alaudinov responded.

"What is most important is something behind it. Over there we are defending the interest of our people in terms of spirituality, morality, divine values, uniwersal human values. ," Alaudinov added.

In his discussion, he also remarked, "Only Vladimir Putin could confront the most satanic nations, believing that nothing could stand in their way. Trust me when I say what we witness today is merely the start. This special military operation will culminate, but do not assume that they will allow us to live in peace," he projected.

"We have an extremely long journey till victory ahead of us. We will continue fighting until we find ourselves at the zenith of the world. We are already there, but we need to substantiate it" he continued.

In another statement, Alaudinov labelled American democracy as "humanity's foremost adversary," further adding that the USA, Europe, and NATO represent "the embodiment of all that is evil" and "the forces of the antichrist."

He asserted that Europe and America would crumble, claiming that the West would ultimately plead for Russia's forgiveness.

Also noteworthy: Kadyrov's 23-year-old daughter secures a government role, previously working in a kindergarten.