Explosion in Russia's Grozny: Reports say Kadyrov's special forces unit under attack

Eyewitnesses reported the sound of an explosion in Grozny. According to preliminary data, it could have been a drone attack.

“The explosion occurred around 5:00 a.m. (local time). The local airport introduced the Carpet plan at night, which resulted in the delay of one flight to Moscow,” the message says.

According to the Telegram channel's sources, the drones probably attacked one of the facilities of the Akhmad Special Forces unit, which, in particular, protects the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.

The Telegram channel also posted a video of the explosion in Grozny, taken from surveillance cameras.

About the unit

The 141st Special Motorized Regiment named after Akhmad Kadyrov (military unit No. 4156, Regiment North, Kadyrov's men, Kadyrovites) is a regiment within the Order of Zhukov of the Operational Brigade of the North Caucasus District of the Russian National Guard, stationed in Grozny.

The regiment was based on the 248th Special Motorized Battalion North, formed on May 29, 2006. The regiment also serves as a personal guard for the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.

Since 2022, the regiment has been involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to open sources, Kadyrov's men killed Ukrainians in Bucha.

Not the first drone attack in Chechnya

This drone attack on Chechnya is not the first. On October 29, drones attacked Kadyrov's special forces university in Chechnya. On October 30, a satellite photo confirmed the attack, with smoke visible in the images.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, told RBC-Ukraine that the drone attack on the university was a significant event for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.