Chechnya's ruling family: What we know about Ramzan Kadyrov's children
Ramzan Kadyrov with his son Adam (photo: Russian media)
Against the backdrop of health problems Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, faces, his son Adam has been involved in a serious car accident.
RBC-Ukraine explains what role he plays in Chechnya and how the Kadyrov clan controls the entire republic.
Key questions
- Who is Adam Kadyrov?
- What do the elder sons of the head of Chechnya do?
- What role do Kadyrov’s daughters play in the power system?
There may be fewer Kadyrovs in Chechnya. Not only is the odious head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, suffering from kidney failure. His youngest son Adam has also been involved in a serious car accident.
Last night, the motorcade of Kadyrov’s son was traveling at high speed through Grozny, the capital of Chechnya. At that moment, an obstacle appeared on the road. As a result, a cascading accident involving several vehicles occurred. Currently, little is known about the condition of the younger Kadyrov, but immediately after the accident, a hospital plane arrived in Moscow from Chechnya and transported him to the Russian capital. Independent Caucasus media reports that the injured man allegedly regained consciousness.
Adam is considered one of the possible candidates to become the head of Chechnya after his father. Therefore, yesterday’s incident creates additional problems for the ruling clan.
Over decades in power, Ramzan Kadyrov has placed his relatives, including his children, in key positions in the republic — to an extent, even oil sheikhs in the Persian Gulf could only dream of. Of his 14 children, at least six are involved in overseeing various spheres of life in Chechnya.
Adam Kadyrov
Kadyrov’s youngest son turned eighteen only last year. Despite his age, he already wields significant influence. Adam Kadyrov is the curator of the Chechen Interior Ministry, head of the department responsible for ensuring his father’s security, and secretary of the Chechen Security Council.
Adam Kadyrov (photo: Russian media)
Adam also oversees the Sheikh Mansur and Baysangur Benovsky battalions, which are fighting against Ukraine.
An incident in 2023 speaks volumes about his position in the family. At that time, 15-year-old Adam Kadyrov beat detainee Nikita Zhuravel in the Grozny pretrial detention center. Zhuravel had been accused of burning the Quran. Adam wasn't punished then. Instead, his father awarded him the title “Hero of Chechnya” for “defending religious values.”
Akhmat Kadyrov
Another possible heir is Kadyrov’s elder son, Akhmat. At just 20 years old, he is already Chechnya’s minister of sports and a deputy prime minister. He is also president of the Akhmat football club.
Akhmat Kadyrov (photo: Russian media)
His father did not assign him this sphere of responsibility by chance. Akhmat Kadyrov has practiced mixed martial arts since childhood. When he was 11, his father even organized an MMA tournament for him and his other sons.
As the BBC notes, his public image as a minister is rather peaceful, which in Chechen politics can be compared to a softness that a regional leader cannot afford.
Zelimkhan (Ali) Kadyrov
Kadyrov’s middle son, Zelimkhan, is the general director of the Akhmat fighting club founded by his father. A master of sports in boxing, he regularly participates in tournaments and heads the Chechen Boxing Federation.
Ali Kadyrov (photo: Kavkazsky Uzel)
His hobbies include shooting and horseback riding, which are often showcased on the Kadyrov family’s social media. Kavkaz.Realii writes that he organizes tournaments, but his interests are limited to sports and family matters, without deep involvement in governing the republic.
Kadyrov’s daughters
Not only do men from the ruling family hold key positions in Chechnya.
Aishat Kadyrova began her career at 17 as director of the Firdaws fashion house, which produces Muslim clothing in the style of modest fashion.
Over the past five years, she held the positions of minister of culture and deputy prime minister, where she was responsible for the social bloc and significant financial flows. Last year, she left her post and became the owner of the republic’s largest exporter — the company Chechen Mineral Waters.
Khadizhat Kadyrova headed the preschool education department of the Grozny city administration. She was also a deputy head of the administration of the head of Chechnya (her father). In that position, she oversaw the social sphere, including education and interaction with budget-funded institutions.
Kadyrov’s third daughter, Khutmat, served as deputy head of the secretariat of the head of Chechnya. Her position was administrative and involved working with documents, coordinating the apparatus, and handling internal government affairs.
Khadizhat, Aishat, and Khutmat Kadyrova (photo: Chechnya Today news agency)
Last year, all three of Kadyrov’s daughters left their positions. This happened amid speculation about the Chechen leader’s illness and a shift toward his sons as heirs.
The official version is that the daughters left public service to “focus on business or family matters.” However, this may be part of a redistribution of power within the clan.
Taken together, Kadyrov’s children form a powerful network that cements power in Chechnya even when the head of the family steps away from affairs. Kadyrov’s children have also inherited their father’s views. All of them have taken part in propaganda trips to the occupied territories of Ukraine and support Russian aggression.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian, and Kavkaz.Realii.
