Ramzan Kadyrov, the near-totalitarian ruler of Chechnya (because it’s a member republic of the Russian Federation, so only almost) has published a gym video to dispel rumors about his poor health, the Guardian reports. The European edition of Novaya Gazeta wrote about him on Monday that Kadyrov was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis in 2019, his disease is associated with the death of pancreatic tissue.
According to the paper, Moscow is already thinking about who would be the successor at the head of Chechnya, who would preserve the stability of the region that wanted to secede at the beginning of the 2000s.
A few hours after the article, the video of Kadyrov lying down and wrestling, accompanied by atmospheric music from the Caucasus, came out while he was having fun with his grizzled buddies. He wrote for the video, “a busy day ends with exercises and positivity”, and warned everyone to take care of their health, believing that it is an “investment in your future”.
There have been rumors about Kadyrov’s health for a long time, the 47-year-old politician has recently been seen several times with a swollen face, stuttering and barely able to keep his eyes open. According to Gazeta, last September he overdosed on sedatives so much that he had to be put into an artificial coma in a Moscow hospital. At that time, several members of the Chechen elite could be seen visiting the hospital, and according to some, he was dying at that time.
The Guardian mentions that Vladimir Putin is giving Kadyrov a relatively free hand in the region in exchange for stability and thousands of Chechen fighters fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Kadyrov also often expresses his loyalty, after the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary leader who rebelled against Putin, Kadyrov announced that he is Putin’s soldier and is ready to die for his president. Meanwhile, Kadyrov is preparing his two sons, 17-year-old Ahmat and 15-year-old Adam, for the succession, the former has already visited the Kremlin.
