Chechen leader vows fierce retaliation after university drone strike
- Chechen fighters on the front line should not take Ukrainian soldiers who surrender as prisoners, said Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya. He announced on Tuesday that a drone attack on the territory of this Russian republic resulted in a fire on the roof of Putin University.
7:12 PM EDT, October 29, 2024
- Today, I gave orders to all commanders on the front: take no prisoners, destroy and intensify the fight by 100 percent. Let everyone know how Chechens can significantly enhance their military capabilities, said Kadyrov, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
Kadyrov threatens retaliation
According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine chose the university as a target because it trained about 50,000 soldiers. In Kyiv, "they wanted to scare" Chechen fighters in this way, but instead, Chechen representatives will double their efforts in the combat zone, Kadyrov assured.
He threatened the Ukrainian forces with "retaliation beyond their wildest dreams."
"They bit us, and we will destroy them," threatened Kadyrov.
Kadyrov noted that an investigation is being conducted into why the attack on the university was possible. "We will strive to ensure it does not happen again," he added, promising to punish all those responsible after the investigation concludes.
Attack on the university in Chechnya
On the night of October 29, a Ukrainian drone attacked Chechen territory for the first time, hitting a university building. Kadyrov reported that as a result of the attack, the "roof of an empty building" caught fire. There were no casualties or injuries.
The Russian Special University is a private educational institution that trains special units and volunteers to be sent to the war in Ukraine. The university was established in 2013 at Kadyrov's proposal. On February 20, 2024, it was named after Russian President Vladimir Putin. In late April, Kadyrov's 16-year-old son, Adam Kadyrov, was appointed as a "curator" of the institution.
After the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine, volunteers were trained for the military at the university. According to Kadyrov, the training lasted a week. Several people told the independent portal Important Stories that after a few days at the base in Gudermes, where they fired "only 12 rounds per person," they were sent to the front in Ukraine.
