The number of military units loyal to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has more than doubled since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a report by the independent investigative outlet Proekt on Wednesday.
Before 2022, Kadyrov oversaw seven battalions, regiments, and rapid response units under the formal authority of Russia’s National Guard and Interior Ministry. Collectively known as the “Kadyrovtsy,” these military and paramilitary forces have now expanded significantly.
Since the invasion began, Kadyrov has established 10 additional units. Eight of these are under Russia’s Defense Ministry, while the remaining two fall under the National Guard. Additionally, Proekt reported that Kadyrov gained control of two National Guard regiments by appointing commanders loyal to him during the height of the Ukraine conflict.
The exact number of soldiers within these units remains undisclosed.
Kadyrov, who refers to himself as a loyal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed in October that Chechnya has 70,000 fully armed and equipped soldiers. Earlier, in August, he stated that 47,000 fighters, including 19,000 volunteers from other Russian regions, had been deployed to Ukraine.
“The key distinction is that Kadyrov’s loyal units remain stationed in Grozny, while newly recruited fighters are being sent to the frontlines in Ukraine,” Proekt noted.
Kadyrov’s forces have faced criticism for allegedly filming staged combat scenes in Ukraine and retreating during Ukrainian advances, including in Russia’s Kursk region in August.
Since Putin appointed him in 2007, Kadyrov has ruled Chechnya—devastated by two wars between Russian forces and separatists in the 1990s and early 2000s—with an authoritarian grip. His leadership has been marred by allegations of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings.
