Observers have long scoffed at Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov’s “TikTok soldiers”: Because loud announcements are often made and videos posted on social media, Kadyrov’s men rarely seem to actually fight. The fighters also gave that impression during the uprising of the Wagner mercenaries this weekend.
On the night of Saturday, the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigoshin began their uprising, in the morning important buildings in Rostov-on-Don were occupied, in the course of the morning Wagner fighters advanced towards Moscow.
“Ready to take tough measures”
At around 2pm, the head of the Russian Republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, announced that he would send his fighters to the “zones of tension” in Russia to support the Kremlin. “The uprising must be crushed and if tough measures are needed, we are ready,” Kadyrov, a close ally of Putin, wrote on Telegram.
Chechen fighters from the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard are already on their way. The use of the so-called Kadyrowzy (supporters of Kadyrov) actually only became apparent late on Saturday evening. A video posted by Grozny TV showed about 20 gunmen patrolling a highway bridge at sunset. The video is accompanied by dramatic music (see below).
“Photoshoot” an hour after the end of the mutiny
According to the OSINTtechnical Twitter account, the militants were on a secondary bridge over the Oka River in the city of Kolomna, Moscow region. Not only was the place not on the route that Prigozhin’s mercenaries wanted to take on their way to Moscow, the Chechen fighters also showed up very late: around 8:20 p.m. (local time), the Wagner leader announced that he was beginning his advance into Moscow. The “photoshoot” on the bridge was not recorded until an hour later, according to the OSINTtechnical account, which is an analyst for the CNA, a US Navy research center, behind it.
The deployment of Kadyrov’s troops in Rostov-on-Don was similar. Units were also sent there “to get the situation under control if necessary,” Kadyrov explains. Fighters under Commander Apti Alaudinov “immediately” arrived on the scene.
fighters not in fights
Although there were no skirmishes between Kadyrov’s units and the Wagner mercenaries, Ramzan Kadyrov on Sunday praised the combat effectiveness of his troops and thanked them for their “rigorous execution of the combat mission”. He reiterated his loyalty to Putin.
After barely 24 hours of Prigozhin’s uprising, the “Kadyrovtsy” sought another field of activity. The Chechen fighters have since returned to the “military special operations zone” in Ukraine, as Commander Alaudinov explained to “Grozny TV”, to fight in the Russian offensive war – or at least to publish videos from there.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
