Kadyrov Largely Disappears from Public View, Stays Within Chechnya

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has become notably less visible in public and is reportedly not leaving the region, according to The Moscow Times. Despite his upcoming candidacy for Chechen leader in September, Kadyrov did not attend the United Russia party congress, an event addressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This marks the first time in nearly two decades that he will not lead the Chechen delegation for the State Duma elections. Kadyrov's last confirmed trip to Moscow was in late April or early May, coinciding with his last meeting with Putin. Throughout July, he did not chair any regional government meetings. His public appearances have also decreased, with six documented instances between August 1 and 18 this year, compared to ten during the same period in the previous year. Currently, Kadyrov's public activities are confined to Chechnya, primarily involving visits to construction and infrastructure projects. His schedule has also seen the removal of lengthy interviews and trips to other regions, a contrast to last year when he attended horse races, concerts, football matches, and vacationed in a Turkish resort. Speculation about Kadyrov's health has intensified, with sources suggesting a possible decline. He was previously diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis, and recent video footage from August appears to show him experiencing increasing difficulty with movement, at one point holding onto his cousin's arm while inspecting a construction site. Changes in his condition were noticeable as early as last autumn, with slower movement and speech observed at an event in September. His traditional live broadcast in December was shorter than usual, with the Chechen parliament speaker and the republic's mufti dominating the discussion. A full recording was not released. In January, following reports of his hospitalization, he appeared in public using a cane. In March, after a 17-day absence from public view, he appeared noticeably thinner and spoke little. Previously, sources close to Kadyrov indicated he was considering his eldest son, Akhmat, as a successor, though his third son, Adam, was once considered the favorite before being involved in a fatal traffic accident in Grozny.