Zelensky Urges U.S. to Target Kadyrov After Maduros Ouster

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested on Wednesday that the United States should exert pressure on Russia by «conducting some form of operation» to oust Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, similar to its actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking to reporters, Zelensky pointed to the operation that targeted Maduro as evidence that Washington can influence Moscow if it chooses to do so. He argued that removing Kadyrov might prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to reconsider his continued military actions in Ukraine.

Last Saturday, U.S. special forces captured Maduro and his wife from Caracas, a move that astonished U.S. allies and drew criticism from Moscow, Venezuela’s ally.

Kadyrov has been at the helm of Russia’s predominantly Muslim Chechnya since 2007 and is one of Putin’s staunchest allies, having dispatched thousands of troops to support the fight in Ukraine.

«They need to increase pressure on Russia. They have the means, and they know how to use them. When they genuinely want to, they can find ways,» Zelensky said regarding the United States.

«Take the example of Maduro. They executed an operation… The entire world has seen the outcome. They did it swiftly. They should initiate some kind of operation with, uh, Kadyrov,» he added.

Just hours after the U.S. action against Maduro, Zelensky humorously mentioned that Putin himself could also be a target.

«If the United States can act against dictators, then they know what steps to take next,» he remarked at a press conference in Kyiv over the weekend, chuckling and smiling.

For nearly four years, Ukraine has been engaged in a fierce battle against a full-scale Russian invasion and has consistently claimed that its allies, including the United States, have not applied sufficient pressure on the Kremlin to conclude the conflict.

Kadyrov has ruled over Chechnya with an iron fist for nearly two decades and has routinely advocated for Moscow to employ the most drastic measures in Ukraine, including alluding to the possibility of a nuclear strike.