Kadyrov's regime will collapse without Putin, says military
The regime of Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya will collapse without Russia. Kadyrov will cease to exist if the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is no longer in power.
This was stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by Abdul-Hakim Shishani, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
He noted that Kadyrov's forces are Putin's personal guard, helping him maintain control over Chechnya. They are bound by shared crimes, including the murders of political opponents, human rights activists, and journalists.
According to the military leader, Putin has given Kadyrov complete carte blanche in Russia, enabling him to hold onto power.
"As long as Putin remains, so will Kadyrov. But the moment Putin is gone, Kadyrov will also fall. He won’t be able to negotiate with a new leader, especially if it’s an FSB-backed figure. Many within the FSB are dissatisfied with Kadyrov and are waiting for Putin's departure to address the issue," said Abdul-Hakim Shishani.
Commenting on aerial attacks on Chechnya, he emphasized that these undermine Kadyrov's authority, although they won’t topple his regime.
"If Russia collapses, the Chechen people themselves will overthrow Kadyrov. Without Russia's support, his regime wouldn’t last two or three months. People are tired of repression and ready to do whatever it takes to get rid of him," said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
Attacks on Chechnya
In October 2024, drones attacked the Russian Special Forces University in Chechnya, causing a massive fire.
Additionally, drones struck Chechnya in late December, with air defenses attempting to repel the assault. During this attack, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane was damaged over Grozny.
The plane, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed in Kazakhstan. The attack resulted in the deaths of dozens of people.
Azerbaijan confirmed that the aircraft had been damaged in Russian territory, which was the primary cause of the crash. Meanwhile, Russia is attempting to evade responsibility for the incident.