Ukraine war: Chechnya’s Kadyrov praises Wagner, plans own mercenary company
- Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov lauds Wagner’s hard work in Ukraine, says mercenary groups are essential
- Kadyrov and Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin back Russian President Vladimir Putin, but are critical of the Russian military
Ramzan Kadyrov, the ally of President Vladimir Putin who leads Chechnya, said that he one day planned to set up his own private military company in the style of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group of mercenaries.
The rise of Wagner and other mercenary forces outside the traditional Russian military command structures has raised concerns among Western diplomats that such groups could one day pose a threat to stability in Russia.
In a post on Telegram, Kadyrov said Wagner, which has been fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, had achieved “impressive results” and that private military companies were a necessity.
“We can say confidently that Wagner has shown its mettle in military terms and drawn a line under discussions about whether or not such private military companies are needed,” said Kadyrov, who has led the Chechen Republic since 2007.
“When my service to the state is completed, I seriously plan to compete with our dear brother Yevgeny Prigozhin and create a private military company. I think it will all work out,” said Kadyrov, 46.
Kadyrov and Prigozhin both lead forces in Ukraine largely autonomously of Russia’s military command and are staunch allies of Putin, but they have also spoken out in public against the military leadership.
