Vladimir Putin met Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in Moscow today, just days after the ruthless warlord released a video of his son beating a Ukrainian suspected of burning the Koran.
Kadyrov, who Ukrainian intelligence reported days ago was “seriously ill” and fighting for his life in a coma, was pictured smiling as he met his close ally Putin in the Russian capital this afternoon.
The meeting comes three days after Kadyrov, 46, praised his 15-year-old son for beating a prisoner accused of burning the Koran, an incident the Kremlin has refused to comment on.
Adam Kadyrov, 15, was filmed pulverizing Ukrainian-born Nikita Zhuravel, 19, who was being held in a holding cell for allegedly setting fire to a copy of Islam’s holy book.
While Russian media have been open about the beatings for a month, a video of the attack was shared Monday by the brutal Chechen warlord, who said he was “proud” of his teenage son for carrying out the attack. horrible attack.
Vladimir Putin met with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured together) in Moscow today
The Chechen leader was photographed smiling during a public appearance just days after Ukrainian intelligence reported he was in a coma.
The meeting with Putin also comes shortly after he posted a video of his son beating a Ukrainian suspected of burning the Koran.
Kadyrov, a father of 14, said on his social media: “There are still discussions online that (my son) Adam Kadyrov hit the burner of the Holy Quran Nikita Zhuravel, an accomplice of the Ukrainian security services .
“Did that happen or not?” He beat him and did the right thing.
“Furthermore, I believe that anyone who violates any holy scripture, including those who demonstratively burn it and offend tens of millions of citizens of our great country, should be severely punished.
“Our country has a unique law protecting the Holy Scriptures, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The religious values of the country’s citizens are protected by the state at the highest level. And the provocateurs cannot take it away.
“Without exaggeration, yes, I am proud of Adam’s action.
“He always stood out for his desire to grow up not among his peers but among his elders, thus developing adult ideals of honor, dignity and defending his religion.
“I respect his choice.”
A short video clip released by television journalist Pavel Zarubin shows Putin and Kadyrov exchanging opening remarks today, without any reference to the beating episode that drew condemnation even from some hard-liners pro-Kremlin.
Putin said there was “positive dynamics” in Chechnya, largely thanks to Kadyrov and his team. Kadyrov was also shown handing him papers from a file.
Adam Kadyrov is one of the ruthless warlord’s 14 children. They are pictured together above
Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin (pictured right) has supported Kadyrov for several years and they are close allies.
Less than a fortnight ago, Ukrainian military intelligence claimed that the Chechen warlord was in a coma and that nephrologists had been rushed from Moscow to Grozny, the regional capital, to treat him.
“Indeed, according to some reports, war criminal Kadyrov is in serious condition,” said Andrei Yusov, spokesman for GUR military intelligence.
“We can confirm that he has suffered a serious relapse and has been in critical condition for several days.”
Earlier this year, there were rumors of Kadyrov’s health problems, with observers noting rapid weight gain and a swollen face.
In photos with Putin today, although his face still appeared swollen, the warlord showed no visible signs of being in “serious condition” – something he himself dismissed.
The health of Kadyrov – who has sent tens of thousands of fighters into Putin’s war in Ukraine – is the subject of widespread speculation in Russia, amid claims he is terminally ill.
He is believed to be suffering from serious kidney problems.
During a meeting with Putin earlier this year, he appeared out of breath, bloated and shuddering as he read awkwardly in a large font while reporting to Putin.
Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured) posted an almost unintelligible video of himself walking in a park, apparently trying to confirm he was healthy
In March, after a wave of speculation, Kadyrov insisted he was “healthy and full of energy” and was regularly examined by doctors.
The same month, Putin took the unusual step of summoning his eldest son Akhmat, 17, for a one-on-one meeting in the Kremlin.
Ramzan Kadyrov inherited the leadership of the region from his murdered father.
In early July, amid a new swirl of rumors about his health, Kadyrov said in a rambling message that he had recorded a film to prove he was not dead.
“We are still alive, one way or another,” he said. “We don’t want to live long anyway. We will live a short but decent life.
Tumso Abdurakhmanov, a Chechen opponent in exile, said at the time: “His kidneys are completely failing and dialysis is not helping him. »
Kadyrov, the father of at least 14 children, is a colonel general in Putin’s national guard.
The decision to share the video of his son beating the Ukrainian prisoner sparked a backlash and is currently being investigated by Russia’s Investigative Committee.
TV star Ksenia Sobchak complained about the post to the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, a former classmate of Putin.
‘This is hell. He is the head of the Republic (of Chechnya).
“This is a lack of respect for the laws of our country,” she said.
“Adam Kadyrov’s actions must be investigated, they must be subject to legal assessment in accordance with the Russian Criminal Code, not Sharia or Ramzan Kadyrov’s laws.
“This young man should not get away with impunity. How much longer can he mock the whole of Russia and openly spit in the face of the entire law enforcement system?”
After rumors circulated that Kadyrov was in a coma, the bloodthirsty leader posted a video on his Telegram channel, apparently to show that he was not in a coma.
Kadyrov, who has often been accused of involvement in the kidnapping, murder and torture of human rights activists, critics and their relatives, took two videos of himself walking down a path in an unfamiliar park.
Although he can be heard speaking in both videos, he did not speak coherently.
He said “that’s how it goes…” before trailing off and muttering incoherently about the rain and how far he still has to go, before bizarrely ending the video saying “then do sports!”
He could also be heard breathing heavily as he walked slowly through the park.
