Approximately 9,000 fighters are currently serving in pro-Russian Chechen units in the war with Ukraine, according to a report by the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom on Twitter.
As outlined in the summary, pro-Russian Chechen forces have been engaged in combat with Ukraine since 2014. Additional Chechen formations were deployed to Ukraine at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
However, having suffered heavy losses from the outset, Chechen units were mainly relegated to rear area security and were ridiculed as TikTok soldiers for their social media posts. Following the withdrawal of the Russian private military company Wagner from the frontlines in May 2023, Chechen units were compelled to return to the front, the report states.
According to British intelligence, Chechen special forces units bear the brunt of combat operations on the frontline, while the bulk of Chechen forces continue to conduct security operations in rear areas.
In addition to providing active combat forces, another key contribution of Chechnya to Russia's war against Ukraine is the training of Russian soldiers. According to Chechnya's leadership, approximately 42,000 Russian servicemen have undergone training at the Russian Special Forces University in Gudermes (Chechnya) since 2022. However, it is highly likely that personnel undergo training at the university for only up to 10 days, raising doubts about the effectiveness of both the training and the institution itself, the Ministry of Defense of Britain notes.
