Putin’s ‘attack dog building his own army to overthrow him’

Kadyrov and Putin pictured in the Kremlin in June 2023 (Picture: Kadyrov95/e2w)

Yet another warlord in Europe is amassing his private army after the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash, it has been claimed.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov – often hailed as Vladimir Putin’s ‘attack dog’ – is believed to be strengthening his personal army at Russia’s expense.

Thousands of recruits were expected to be deployed to Ukraine to boost numbers but there are suspicions of an ulterior motive.

One theory is that Kadyrov’s men are being kept in reserve to crush any rebellion against Putin after protests broke out in the republic of Bashkortostan earlier this month.

Another is that in the event of the Russian president’s demise, Kadyrov can break away from Russia and set up an independent state.

By setting up new military formations, 47-year-old is ‘effectively strengthening his personal army at the expense of the [Russian] federal budget,’ according to the Kavkaz Realii independent media outlet, part of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Regiments named Akhmat-Russia and Akhmat-Chechnya – under Russia’s Ministry of Defence – were ‘created for participation in the war against Ukraine, but the dates of their deployment to the front are still unknown’.

At the end of May 2023, 2,400 recruits had been ‘selected’, but the actual size of his current private army is unclear.

In the past, the warlord boasted of having tens of thousands of soldiers under his command.

Among his fighters are also former Wagner mercenaries once loyal to Prigozhin.

Servicemen take part in a review of the Chechen Republic’s troops and military hardware at the residence of Ramzan Kadyrov (Picture: TASS)

Political analyst Mikhail Savva said: ‘There is a clear surplus of these military units in Chechnya.

‘It is absolutely obvious that this is done in the interests of Kadyrov personally and his regime, and against the interests of the federal government of Russia.’

His force could be used ‘in case of any instability or destabilisation within Russia’.

Mr Savva added: ‘Kadyrov must understand that the current Russian regime is very unstable, and its sudden collapse could happen.

‘In that case, he will have his own army, which will allow him, as it is already evident, not only to control the territory of the republic but also to exert influence in neighbouring regions.’

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