The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has appointed his eldest son, Ahmad Kadyrov, aged 20, as the deputy prime minister of the regional government. Ahmad will combine this position with that of the Minister of Physical Culture and Sports, a post to which he was appointed in May 2024 (previously he had been the Minister of Youth in Chechnya).
Another appointed deputy prime minister is Ahmad Dudaev, former assistant to Kadyrov and Minister of the Press. The announcement was made by the Chechen leader on his Telegram channel.
According to Kadyrov, both appointees “have significant administrative experience and a deep understanding of the specifics of the areas they coordinate” and have distinguished themselves as “responsible and efficient leaders”.
Ahmad Kadyrov, the leader’s son, is also known as the president of the “Ahmat” football club and represents, according to the BBC in Russian, the “civil side” of the Kadyrov clan. Journalists have documented that Ramzan Kadyrov has already placed over 80 relatives in the power structures of the republic.
Kadyrov has allied himself through his children’s marriages with at least 15 other Chechen clans. Over 30 close relatives hold positions in the executive administration, at least seven are active in the financial and business sector, four lead sports organizations, more than 20 control force structures, and at least 11 family members hold positions in the legislature, including at the federal level, reported the BBC.