"Kremlin's ally in Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, is in critical condition, and his possible death will be a problem for Moscow," said Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, during a televised marathon.
"Regarding Kadyrov, unfortunately, we don't have a confirmed point on this issue yet. However, information about him was indeed available. We won't confirm it, but we can state that he is in critical condition. That's what we can assert with certainty today," Yusov stated.
He also added that there is no reliably verified information regarding other scenarios related to Kadyrov's health that can be used as a basis for discussion.
Yusov noted that the incapacitation of the Chechen dictator would have consequences not only for Chechnya itself but also for the rest of the North Caucasus. He also believes that the loss of Kadyrov will impact the stability of Putin's regime as a whole.
"Even if not death, significant health problems, which are already evident today in Ramzan Kadyrov, will affect the situation. They will impact financial flows and the redistribution of political power within Putin's regime. This means good news for Ukraine and all good people and enslaved nations in the so-called Russian Federation, which must be used and developed to protect the rights of those very enslaved nations," Yusov said.
Commenting on potential candidates for a new leader in Chechnya, the representative of Ukrainian intelligence noted that Kadyrov himself had considered several options in this regard.
"But the problem with any entrenched and authoritarian regime is that it's difficult to shine a light on a successor and prepare in advance. Regardless of the plans, there will be a fierce battle for succession, both for Kadyrov's succession and Putin's. Everyone, from the top in Moscow to Kadyrov's inner circle, will be involved in this struggle. So, it's not some legitimate process. It will be a tough and certainly bloody battle. In the end, they built such a system for themselves," Yusov emphasized.
He is convinced that the forces that have for years counted on the Chechen people's right to independence and their own state will receive new impulses and tools for their struggle.
