Kadyrov announced plans to create a PMC and called Prigozhin a brother

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, announced his intention to “come into competition” with the founder of PMC Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and after completing his work in the civil service, open his own private military company. Previously, together with Prigozhin, Kadyrov openly criticized the Ministry of Defense of Russia.

In a post on the Telegram channel published on Sunday – against the background of the next critical remarks made by Prigozhin to the Ministry of Defense – Kadyrov stated that “Wagner PMC”, whose soldiers are participating in the war in Ukraine, “proved its effectiveness in military terms” and called Prigozhin ” brother” (this is how he characterizes many – but not all – regional and federal officials).

Kadyrov, who positions himself as “Putin’s foot soldier”, repeatedly demonstrated his support for Prigozhin during Russia’s war against Ukraine. Moreover, as noted by Kavkaz.Realii, their structures cooperate: it is known that the “volunteers” sent to the war through Chechnya fall into the Wagner PMC.

Last October, Kadyrov published a post, calling the head of PMC Wagner a “dear brother” and a “born warrior.” At the same time, he harshly criticized General Alexander Lapin, the commander of Army Group “Center” at the time, who had surrendered the Ukrainian Liman, calling him “talented.” Prigozhin then supported the criticism of the general.

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) recently suggested that Kadyrov would not support Prigozhin in his confrontation with the Ministry of Defense. These conclusions were based on Kadyrov’s statements about “excellent harmonious relations” with the Ministry of Defense and that he has no influence on his personnel policy.

• If since the beginning of the war against Ukraine, Kadyrov regularly reported on a large number of Chechens who were ready to “stand up for the defense of their family”, then in recent months he states the opposite, but only in the Chechen language. The authorities of the republic started an aggressive media campaign against those residents who do not want to go to war as volunteers – they began to be accused of insufficient courage and religiosity.
• It is known that from Chechnya, employees of law enforcement agencies mobilized under the decree of residents and so-called volunteers are sent to the war in Ukraine. At the same time, human rights activists have repeatedly stated that the call has a coercive character – young people protected by the security forces become soldiers, as well as, for example, relatives of Chechen oppositionists.
• “Wagner’s PMC” is a Russian unofficial military unit whose soldiers have taken part or are taking part in military operations in Syria, African countries and Ukraine. Russian legislation prohibits the activities of private military companies. Prigozhin admitted that such an organization existed only after the start of the war in Ukraine.
• The other day, Prigozhin announced a crisis in the supply of ammunition to the PMK Wagner fighters fighting near Bakhmut, and indirectly blamed the Ministry of Defense for this.
• After that, Prigozhin visited the Chechen special forces commander, Kadyrov’s close friend Apta Alaudinov, in the hospital. According to Kadyrov, Alaudinov was previously asked to be poisoned, and he handed over a poisoned letter. According to Prigozhin, Alaudinov gave his fighters a certain amount of shells.