Free Republic

Rumours have circulated for a while about the health, physical and mental, of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. But the latest bout of speculation, set running last week by a report in Russia’s exiled Novaya Gazeta, seems more credible than many. It states that 47-year-old Kadyrov has been suffering from the potentially fatal condition of pancreatic necrosis and recently suffered a sharp turn for the worse. The Kremlin, the report continues, is looking for a successor to ensure continued stability in the region. Providing more details about Kadyrov’s declining health, Novaya Gazeta cites an anonymous source at the elite Moscow presidential...

Former American intelligence officer Scott Ritter has visited the Russian republic of Chechnya, offering its leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his fighters "friendship" with the United States. Ritter, a former United Nations Special Commission weapons inspector, U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer, and a convicted sex offender, made the remarks in an address during his visit to Chechnya's capital, Grozny.

BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:30 P.M.) – The Turkish presidency announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will receive in Istanbul tomorrow his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky, against the backdrop of the new escalation in the Donbass region. In a statement, the Turkish presidency confirmed that Erdogan and Zelensky would chair in Istanbul the ninth meeting of the high-level strategic cooperation council between the two countries.The statement indicated that the meeting, which will be held in the presence of the relevant ministers, will review “all aspects of Turkish-Ukrainian relations that rise to the level of strategic partnership and the steps that can be...

HELSINKI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Finland will erect barriers at four crossings on its border with Russia from midnight, officials said on Friday, in a bid to stem an increase in migrants that Helsinki says has been orchestrated by Moscow. Finland has accused Russian authorities of funnelling migrants to the crossings in retaliation for its decision to increase defence cooperation with the United States, an assertion dismissed by the Kremlin. Barriers will go up at four of the nine crossings with Russia, at Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala in its southeast, the Finnish Border Guard said. "Our aim is to...

In the early hours of Thursday, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Estonia launched a pointed accusation against Russia, alleging a failure to detain illegal migrants at its borders. The incident sparking this contention involved eight Somali citizens attempting to circumnavigate immigration control, attempting to enter Estonia via Narva. Geopolitical Tensions Highlighted This incident brings to light the ongoing concerns around border security and immigration control, issues that hold significant weight for Estonia, given its geographical location and strained political relations with Russia. The accusation by the Estonian official not only underscores these concerns but also spotlights the intricate complexities...

Ramzan Kadyrov, head of Russia’s Chechnya region and close ally of President Vladimir Putin, proposed on Saturday that a presidential election due next March should either be postponed due to the war in Ukraine or limited to one candidate- Putin.

Vladimir Putin has hit out at Western 'scum' who he accuses of seeking to 'instigate pogroms' in Russia after an anti-Semetic mob rampaged through Dagestan. The Kremlin leader was two hours late for a meeting with his leading military and security henchmen in which the dictator blamed foreign interference for the ugly scenes at a regional airport when the mob hunted for Jews arriving by plane. Citing no evidence, he accused Ukraine and Western intelligence services of being behind the hate-filled uprising in Makhachkala, capital of Dagestan region. In a rambling diatribe, a grim-faced Putin told his subordinates that the...

Let me go fight for Palestine – UFC star pleadsKhamzat Chimaev asked the Chechen leader for his blessing to go join the battle in GazaKhamzat Chimaev, a UFC fighter from Chechnya, addressed the leader of the Russian Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, on Saturday, asking for his permission to join the fight in Palestine in a post-fight interview at UFC 294. In an emotional speech following his victory against former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, Chimaev, 29, addressed the situation with multiple conflicts raging in the world...."

Palestinian group Hamas early Saturday hailed Russia’s rejection of an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. “We appreciate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position on the ongoing aggression against our people and his rejection of the Gaza siege, cutting off relief supplies, and targeting safe civilians there,” Hamas said in a statement. The group also welcomed Russian efforts “to stop the barbaric and systematic aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza.” Putin warned on Friday that civilian casualties will be "absolutely unacceptable" in case of an Israeli ground operation in the Gaza Strip.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov declared his support for Palestinians and offered to send his soldiers to “mediate in the conflict” between Israel and the Hamas. In a video recorded on Monday and released on his Telegram channel, Kadyrov who is also known as a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, urged the international community to call for a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “I address the leaders of Muslim nations to create a coalition and reach out to those who you call friends, Europe and the whole West to demand stopping the bombing of peaceful civilians in Palestine...

After posting a video on Telegram, Ramzan Kadyrov said he was “proud” of his son for assaulting a man accused of burning the Quran. The leader of Russia's Chechnya region, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on Monday he was pleased with his son for beating a prisoner accused of burning the Quran. Kadyrov posted his comments on Telegram along with a video of a young man dressed in khaki kicking and slapping a man in a chair, before throwing him to the ground. The 46-year-old, often referred to as "Putin's mad dog", said he released the video to clear up any doubts...

before his condition drastically “worsened,” according to Ukrainian intelligence. The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, is reported to be in critical condition, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. “The information is confirmed by various sources in the medical and political circles,” Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence branch, told Obozrevatel, which first reported the news. “There is information that the war criminal Kadyrov is in a serious condition and the diseases that were there have worsened and caused such a serious condition.” His ill-health is not due to an injury, Yusov added. “It is not about injuries. Other details...

For quite a long time now, China has been behaving like a power that owns Africa and all its resources. Having debt trapped countries, the red rogue nation has been looking to seize control of their strategic assets, with the ultimate goal of establishing bases for itself across the continent. China has been pursuing a neo-colonial agenda for quite some time, but countries of Africa are now coming together to kick China out of the continent. An interesting phenomenon is beginning to make a comeback in Africa. The vast continent is no novice when it comes to military rule and...

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on Tuesday mocked the United States after a senior U.S. diplomat met with members of the military junta in Niger. "The U.S. is trying to keep the Wagner group out of Niger," Prigozhin said in a message posted on Telegram, according to translations in Russian media. "'Heavy artillery' is being brought in for this. Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is in a country that defeated colonialism under Russian flags." Prigozhin directly referenced Nuland's quote about the "risks to their sovereignty" in relation to Wagner and praised his fighters. "I am proud of the...

Video showing what appears to be the trail of an anti-aircraft missile, as a business plane allegedly carrying Wagner chief Yegveny Prigozhin falls from the sky.There is no still no official confirmation if Prigozhin was on the plane, where he was listed as a passenger.⚡️ Самолёт, который разбился в Тверской области, принадлежит Евгению Пригожину, утверждают издание Baza и журналистка Ксения Собчак. На борту бизнес-джета Embraer, как утверждается, были 7 человек, они погибли.

Wagner Group commander Dmitry Utkin was reportedly among the 10 people killed in a plane crash north of Moscow that also is believed to have claimed the life of Yevgeny Prigozhin. Utkin, a former Russian military intelligence officer, has Nazi tattoos on his body. He helped co-found the militant group and came up with the name “Wagner,” which derived from Adolf Hilter’s favorite composer, Richard Wagner. According to reports, Utkin and Prigozhin were just two of Wagner's top men who were listed as passengers on the flight.

Anyone rejoicing that Wagner Boss Yevgeny Prigozhin may have died in a fiery plane crash should hold back on the fireworks as one expert has warned it could have been a body double aboard the plane. The notorious mercenary boss, whose gang of blood thirsty soldiers has been blamed for warcrimes from Ukraine to Mali, is 'feared' dead in a plane crash along with 10 people on board. The Russian Civil Aviation Authority tonight offically claimed Prigozhin and his right hand man Dmitry Utkin were on board the plane, while the Wagner-affiliated Grey Zone Telegram channel also said their leader's...

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed Wednesday after a plane he was aboard crashed northwest of Moscow, according to Russian authorities. Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny attempt against the Kremlin in June. Photo: Russian Investigative Committee Handout/Shutterstock…

President Biden on Wednesday suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin could be behind the plane crash in Russia that had Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin listed as a passenger. “There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin’s not behind,” Biden told reporters. President Biden on Wednesday suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin could be behind the plane crash in Russia that had Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin listed as a passenger. “There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin’s not behind,” Biden told reporters.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list of a jet which crashed killing all on board, Russia's civil aviation authority has said. Earlier, Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the private plane, which belonged to Prigozhin, was shot down by air defences. It was flying from Moscow to St Petersburg, with seven passengers and three crew.