Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov suggested that the next victim after the assassination of the leader of the Wagner Private Military Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, could be the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.
In his opinion, Russian President Vladimir Putin is no longer able to manage the role of arbiter between Kremlin factions but continues to "divide and rule." Gudkov noted that the physical elimination of Prigozhin indicated that these power struggles are becoming public, and ahead could be "confrontations with Kadyrov."
"Because today, Kadyrov is the main opponent of Russian statehood and state structures. Because he has a well-prepared private army. And Kadyrov has significant influence bypassing all the security structures in Russia. This doesn't sit well with many, and I think we will see many more conflicts ahead. It's the FSB against the Ministry of Defense, the security forces against Kadyrov..." said Gudkov.
According to him, Kadyrov is already creating instability across the entire territory of Russia. If before he was a "king only in his own backyard," today he is advancing his order throughout the whole Russian Federation. As Gudkov clarified, he was referring to "power struggles" and torture practices that have become commonplace not only in Chechnya but also in Moscow, where they torture political prisoners.
"They use all sorts of methods of violence – champagne bottles, dumbbells... There's a significant risk of turning Russia into a large Chechnya," emphasized Gudkov.
He expressed confidence, citing his sources, that if Putin decides to remove Kadyrov, no one will come to his defense in Chechnya.
"Because a middle class has emerged in Chechnya, and the region is tired of war and the dictatorship of Kadyrov's supporters. Therefore, the assertion that stability in the Caucasus is maintained thanks to Kadyrov is a myth. Quite the opposite – protest sentiments are growing in Dagestan, Ingushetia, where they are prosecuting those who dared to protest against Chechnya's territorial concessions," Gudkov asserted.
He added that after Prigozhin's death, the Russian elite is frightened. The elimination of the Wagner PMC leader also showed that you cannot negotiate with Putin and, if you go against him, you have to go all the way.
The politician emphasizes that in eliminating Prigozhin, the dictator acted not as a head of state but as a terrorist, which reduces his approval rating. Representatives of the Russian elite are beginning to understand that the Russian president has "gone off the deep end," and at any moment, one of them could become the next target. Moreover, it doesn't matter whether they betrayed Putin's interests or not – the reprisal could happen based on false accusations. Gudkov also speculated that Prigozhin's assassination will destabilize the situation within the army, as some of the Russian military liked what he was saying.
