Kadyrov Continues Family Dynasty: Appoints 20-Year-Old Son as Deputy PM of Chechnya

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced on Monday the appointment of his 20-year-old son, Akhmat Kadyrov, as the acting deputy prime minister of the republic.

Akhmat Kadyrov will continue to serve as Chechnya’s minister of physical culture and sports, a position he has held since 2024 when he was only 18 years old. Additionally, he has been the regional minister for youth affairs since the winter of that same year.

Ramzan Kadyrov also declared the appointment of Akhmed Dudayev, who oversees national policy, external relations, press, and information, as the acting deputy prime minister.

This is not the first instance of Ramzan Kadyrov promoting one of his children to a significant position. His younger brother, Adam Kadyrov, 18, has taken on at least seven official roles in the last two years, starting as his father’s security chief in 2023. He gained notoriety that same year for an incident involving the assault of a teenage detainee accused of burning the Quran.

Since 2007, the 49-year-old Ramzan Kadyrov has led Chechnya with considerable autonomy in return for loyalty to the Kremlin. Reports from exiled media have highlighted the family’s extravagant lifestyle, characterized by a collection of luxury vehicles, designer watches, and opulent weddings.

Akhmat Kadyrov’s recent elevation comes amidst growing speculation regarding his father’s health. In 2024, the exiled news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that Kadyrov was suffering from a severe illness, potentially pancreatic necrosis, with Kremlin public relations teams allegedly trying to mask his condition.

Last week, the outlet revealed that Kadyrov had to be urgently hospitalized in Moscow just before the annual State Council meeting led by President Vladimir Putin on December 25, citing an unnamed source close to the Chechen leader. The source indicated that “they barely revived him in Moscow, after which he returned home and has not been seen in public since.”

Despite the reports of his declining health, Kadyrov has rejected these claims.

On Saturday, Kadyrov’s official Telegram account shared video footage of him attending the inauguration of an Islamic school. In the video, he refrained from speaking and was seen using a walking stick.