Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov is critically ill in a coma, according to reports (Picture: Alexei Nikolsky/Ria Novosti/Getty Images/East2West News )
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Vladimir Putin and ruthless warlord, is critically ill, Ukrainian military intelligence claim.
There are unconfirmed reports saying the 46-year-old – who sent thousands of troops to fight in Ukraine, is in a coma. It’s believed kidney specialists have been sent from Moscow to his regional capital Grozny to treat him.
‘Indeed, there is information that the war criminal Kadyrov is in a serious condition,’ said the spokesman for the GUR military intelligence, Andrei Yusov, according to Eastern European news outlet Nexta.
‘We can confirm that he has had a severe relapse and has been in critical condition for several days.’
There were suspicions Kadyrov was ill when he rapidly gained weight and his face appeared swollen.
Some rumours claim he is terminally ill with serious kidney problems, the Mail Online reports.
The 46-year-old sent thousands of troops to Ukraine (Picture: Ramzan Kadyrov/e2w)
Some say he’s been ill for a while (Picture: @kadyrov_95/East2West News)
He was last seen in video footage four days ago with close associates and a young boy, believed to be the son of one of the men.
Earlier this year at a meeting with Putin he appeared breathless, bloated and was shaking as he reported to the Russian leader.
This week, meanwhile, there were reports that Kadyrov believed his doctor – who was previously his health minister and deputy leader – was poisoning him, which was causing his health issues.
Elkhan Suleymanov, 49, a professor, was sacked from his official posts and hasn’t been seen for a year.
There have been claims the doctor was ‘buried alive’ on Kadyrov’s orders but according to Chechen sources he is alive and living in Azerbaijan.
(Picture: Alexei Nikolsky/Ria Novosti/AFP via Getty Images)
Elkhan Suleymanov, 49, Kadyrov’s personal doctor and deputy prime minister, hasn’t been seen for a year (Picture: @docsuleymanov_95/East2West News)
In March, Kadyrov, who became leader of Chechnya after his father was assassinated in 2004, insisted he was ‘healthy and full of energy’ and was regularly seen by doctors.
Following more health rumours, Kadyrov, who has at least 14 children, shared a video of himself, which he said was recorded to prove he was not dead.
‘We are still alive somehow,’ he said. ‘Anyway, we don’t want to live long.
‘We will live a short but decent life.’
Kadyrov has faced many accusations of human rights abuses (Picture: Ali Haider/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)
Tumso Abdurakhmanov, an exiled Chechen opposition politician, said at the time that Kadyrov’s kidney’s had completely failed and a dialysis was not helping.
However he has since been seen looking a little healthier apparently.
Kadyrov has faced multiple accusations of human rights abuses over the years and has been accused of killing several of his opponents.
Chechnya’s special forces, meanwhile, often described as Kadyrov’s private army, have been implicated in war crimes in Ukraine.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.