Kadyrov supported PMC “Wagner” in an attempt to regain influence in the Kremlin

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, supported the owner of PMC “Wagner” Evgeny Prigozhin in the conflict with the Ministry of Defense due to his desire to restore his influence in the Kremlin. Analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) came to this conclusion.

In the report, experts called the incident blackmail by the Ministry of Defense – in their opinion, Kadyrov’s letter to President Vladimir Putin with a request to replace PMC mercenaries in Bakhmut with Chechen units could pose a danger to the Russian command.

“The ISW previously observed Akhmat units in the Belogorivka area on the Svyatovo-Kremennaya line and in the Zaporozhye region. Their departure from these positions could undermine Russia’s defensive preparations ahead of the planned Ukrainian counteroffensive,” the document says.

At the same time, it is emphasized that Kadyrov could take such an initiative in order to restore his position in the Kremlin. Earlier, analysts claimed that the head of Chechnya is afraid of losing the favor of the president due to the lack of combat success of the Chechen units in the war against Ukraine. At the same time, ISW doubts that Prigozhin and Kadyrov will be able to continue dictating the terms of the Ministry of Defense without the risk of harming relations with Putin.

• The other day, Prigozhin announced that mercenaries from PMC “Wagner” will leave their positions in Bakhmut after May 10 due to a lack of ammunition. He accused the Ministry of Defense of Russia, personally the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of the General Staff of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, who commands the combined group, for this.
• In the evening of May 6, Prigozhin published a detailed text about the conflict between the PMC and the Ministry of Defense. It follows that due to the counteraction of the PMC department, it suffers heavy losses, does not get the opportunity to recruit reinforcements, and is “actually bled to death.”
• In response, head Kadyrov, outside the framework of military subordination, addressed directly to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin with a written request to transfer the Chechen special forces unit “Akhmat” to Bakhmut.
• In March, experts reported that there was a rift between the head of Chechnya and the head of PMC “Wagner” due to Prigozhin’s criticism of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense. Before that, Kadyrov himself criticized the Russian command in the conflict with Ukraine, accusing it of the failure of the defense in Donbass and demanding personnel changes in the top military leadership of the Russian army.
• After meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the head of Chechnya abruptly changed his opinion. On the same day, in his Telegram channel, he praised the Ministry of Defense and Sergei Shoigu, as well as the General Staff, and stated that the Russian military is following “wise tactics” in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine.