Kadyrov's son put in charge of Rosgvardia battalion with limited combat role

Adam Kadyrov, the 18-year-old son of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has been appointed to oversee a Rosgvardia battalion known as "Baisangur Benoevsky." This unit was reportedly formed for the war in Ukraine but, according to "Novaya Gazeta Europa," has seen minimal combat and remains stationed in Grozny.

The "Baisangur Benoevsky" battalion is described as an elite unit with good armaments, new barracks, and training grounds. However, its deployment history appears limited. In contrast, the "Sheikh Mansur" battalion, formed concurrently, was established as a volunteer unit under the Russian Ministry of Defense and was sent to the front lines by December 2023.

While the "Baisangur Benoevsky" battalion had stringent selection criteria, it has largely remained in Chechnya. Bechan Chalayev, brother of a close security official to Ramzan Kadyrov, leads the unit. Adam Kadyrov reportedly maintains close ties with the battalion, visiting soldiers regularly. The vehicles used by the unit bear license plates with the inscription "DUSTUM 95," which is Adam Kadyrov's call sign, previously used by his father.

"Novaya Gazeta Europa" has found only two mentions of the battalion's presence on the front lines. A group of 20 soldiers reportedly visited the Zaporizhzhia region in spring 2024, but evidence of their direct combat involvement is lacking. Another visit to a combat zone occurred in August 2025, but without their commander. Despite these limited deployments, soldiers in the battalion have signed at least one-year service contracts and received payments of 195,000 rubles, which are typically intended for those heading to combat zones.