Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is said to have launched frantic attempts to locate his cousin and close ally Adam Delimkhanov following reports on Wednesday that the Chechen lawmaker had been wounded or possibly killed on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Russian state-controlled media initially reported that Delimkhanov, a deputy of the State Duma who was awarded the title Hero of Russia by President Vladimir Putin, was wounded but still alive, citing Press service of the State Duma. But a short time later, the press service of the State Duma denied making that comment, and one after another, lawmakers lined up to make sure that Delimkhanov was completely fine and not even. injured.
But Kadyrov went to Telegram to sound the alarm about what he describes as Delimkhanov’s disappearance. Kadyrov said that he was unable to contact Delimkhanov and did not know where he was. And in a wild twist, the Chechen leader, who for months has been cheering for the killing of Ukrainians, is now calling on Ukrainian authorities to help.
“I am asking Ukrainian intelligence for information on the exact location and location of the attack, so that I can still find my dear ENGLISH,” Kadyrov wrote on Wednesday.
“I promise a handsome reward and I ask for your help.”
Strangely, a Chechen commander was quote by Russian state media saying that Delimkhanov was “more alive than all those alive” and returning home to Chechnya later wrote on Telegram that he had been ordered by Kadyrov to “go to the scene of the incident” And find [Delimkhanov] by any means necessary.”
of Russia RIA Novosti then reported that Chechen fighters had been withdrawn from their positions on the front lines to assist in the search for Delimkhanov.
Unconfirmed reports circulated earlier in the Ukrainian media claiming that the Chechen lawmaker was killed by Ukraine during a strike in the Zaporizhzhia region. Just a day earlier, Delimkhanov had been seen in a video claiming that Chechen fighters sent to the border with Ukraine would cross and “liberate Ukrainians from the LGBT, Satanic and fascist regime”.
Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the State Duma, claimed to have “just talked” with Delimkhanov, according to fellow lawmaker Dmitry Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov told state-controlled media that Delimkhanov was “alive and healthy” and “wish us well”.
The conflicting accounts have raised questions about Delimkhanov’s status, with many wondering why Kadyrov was unable to contact his cousin while other lawmakers claimed they could contact him. .
