Ramzan Kadyrov was last week at a luxury hotel in the tourist resort of Bodrum in Turkey when he went out to sea to swim. Shortly afterwards, the 48-year-old began to lose consciousness, according to Turkish media. Hotel staff intervened and Kadyrov was taken to a private clinic for care. On Friday, he was discharged from the hospital.
The incident, which has not been commented on by Chechen authorities, raises new questions about Kadyrov's health. For a couple of years, there have been rumors that he suffers from pancreatitis with acute tissue death. In May, Kadyrov expressed a desire to leave his post - which is up to Russian President Vladimir Putin to grant. Kadyrov has served as the Russian power center Kremlin's iron fist in Chechnya for over 20 years.
Congratulated by Putin
There have been reports for several years that Ramzan Kadyrov has given his children influence in the government. And now, more and more signals are coming that his son Adam is being prepared to take over power, writes The New York Times. Despite being only 17 years old, Adam Kadyrov became the head of Chechnya's security council in the spring. He was also awarded two medals in ten days. In June, he got married, and was congratulated by Putin.
Already in 2023, Adam, as a 15-year-old, was appointed head of his father's bodyguard. The same year, Ramzan Kadyrov proudly published a video showing how his son mistreats a prisoner.
Around the same time, pictures emerged of Kadyrov Jr. posing with, among others, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and UFC star Khamzat Chimaev, who is from Chechnya but lived in Sweden for a long time, at a wrestling gala in Abu Dhabi.
Two others mentioned
There is, however, a law that requires regional leaders in Russia to be at least 30 years old. But with Putin's support, it is expected to be circumvented, especially since Ramzan Kadyrov himself informally received power several years before his 30th birthday.
Two politicians are mentioned as other possible successors to Ramzan Kadyrov, or as interim rulers until Adam Kadyrov is fully ready. They are Magomed Daudov, who is said to have led a purge of LGBTQ people in Chechnya, and Apti Alaudinov, a former high security chief who participated in battles in Ukraine.
Ramzan Kadyrov was born in 1976 with roots in one of Chechnya's oldest and most respected clans. He led a militia, the "Kadyrovites", which largely consisted of former rebels and became known for great brutality. He then switched sides and became friendly towards the Kremlin.
After his father Achmad, who was the region's president, was murdered in 2004, Ramzan Kadyrov gained more and more power and was formally appointed by Moscow in 2007 as the leader of the republic. Since then, he has consistently cracked down on all forms of dissent.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) describes Kadyrov's rule as a tyranny where the leader has total control over the flow of information.
People who try to protest are punished, according to HRW, with reprisals such as arbitrary detention, disappearances, harsh treatment, death threats, and threats against family members.
Russia has not commented on any reports of Kadyrov's health problems. His public appearances have, however, become increasingly rare.
In May, the government released a video with images of Kadyrov, with his head covered by a hood, where a voice expressed disgust over gossip about the president's health problems, without denying them.
