The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, criticized the Russian Defense Ministry after the Ukrainian military liberated Izyum, Kupyansk, and Balakleya in the Kharkiv region, which were under occupation. He stated this in an audio message published in his telegram.

"I'm not a strategist like the Department of Defense. Mistakes were made. I think they will draw conclusions… I always like to tell the truth… And if today or tomorrow there are no changes in the strategy for conducting a special military operation, I will have to go to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the leadership of the country to explain the situation to them… The situation is very interesting."

Kadyrov noted that he could not blame anyone for the fact that the Russian military, in his words, “surrendered the cities,” because he did not understand the strategy of the Ministry of Defense. He also criticized the ministry's leadership since, during the offensive of the Ukrainian troops, “officials did not say anything, did not declare anything, although they saw everything.”

"Why is this being done? Why is it given? If Russia wanted to, it would not take a single step back. And why it was done, it was necessary to explain. For this they, I see, were not prepared people. We always show how we shoot, take, and destroy. We need to show the other side."

According to the head of Chechnya, there is a plus in the fact that the Russian military "gave away several cities and villages." According to him, three battalions and an Akhmat special forces regiment were sent to Ukraine to conduct "special operations" on the country's territory.

"I, Ramzan Kadyrov, officially declare to you that all these cities (Izyum, Kupyansk and Balakleya) will be returned back. Our people are already there, the guys are specially trained for this work, and they are ready to leave for another 10,000 fighters. And we will reach Odessa in the near future."

On September 5, the Ukrainian army launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region. On September 8, Russian troops left Balakleya, and on September 10, the western part of Kupyansk and Izyum.