Kadyrov asks Putin if he can resign as head of Chechen Republic

Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if he can resign as head of the Chechen Republic, he told Russian state-controlled media Chechnya Today on May 6.

Kadyrov has ruled Chechnya since 2007. Under his leadership, the Chechen Republic has become known as one of the most dangerous parts of the world, infamous for forced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

The U.S. and other Western allies have imposed sanctions against Kadyrov and his family over human rights abuses in Chechnya.

"I've heard those rumors (about resignation), too. They say all sorts of things. On the contrary, I am asking to be dismissed from my post," Kadyrov said. "I hope that my request will be supported."

Kadyrov clarified that the decision on whether he will be dismissed is up to Putin now.

Kadyrov's statement comes amid news that the Chechen dictator's illness, pancreatic necrosis, is progressing rapidly, and he has allegedly appointed his minor son Adam as his successor, according to the independent Russian media outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe.

This is not the first time Kadyrov has asked for his resignation. He made similar statements in 2016, 2017, and 2022, according to the independent Russian media outlet Astra. In previous cases, his resignation was not approved.

How Kadyrov became so powerful, and why Chechnya remains vital for survival of Putin’s regime

In December 1994, Russian troops launched a brutal and eventually unsuccessful military campaign against Chechen rebels, effectively beginning the First Chechen War. Thirty years later and two wars since, Chechnya, under strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, has become a key pillar of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s oppressive regime. After losing the first

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov