On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Chechnya to observe the readiness of Chechen troops and volunteers for the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. During the visit, he was accompanied by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
This is Putin’s first visit to the North Caucasus republic in 13 years. The trip was not scheduled in advance. Chechnya, a predominantly Muslim region, is part of Russia.
Two weeks ago, Ukrainian troops crossed into Russian territory and launched operations in the bordering Kursk region. This is the largest foreign military incursion into Russia since World War II. Moscow is now reinforcing its efforts to drive Ukrainian troops out of Kursk. Putin’s visit was reported on the Kremlin’s website, which stated that he spoke with soldiers at the Russian Special Forces University. Putin remarked, “As long as we have people like you, we will surely, surely remain unbeatable.”
The Russian President commented, “Shooting at a range is one thing, but risking your life and health is another. However, you certainly want to protect your homeland and have the courage to make such decisions.”
The intrusion of foreign troops into Russia is an embarrassment for Putin and his military. Despite this, the Russian forces have continued their slow advance on the Eastern Ukrainian battlefield. On Tuesday, Putin stated at another meeting, “Since the start of the Ukraine war, Chechnya has sent 47,000 soldiers, including 19,000 volunteers.”
Kadyrov frequently refers to himself as Putin’s ‘foot soldier’. Journalists asked Putin if Kadyrov’s foot soldiers had lived up to his trust.
In response, Putin said, “If I had more such foot soldiers, I would be very pleased, but having even one such foot soldier is very important.”
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