Chechen leader and staunch Putin supporter Ramzan Kadyrov is reported to have fallen into a coma | Photo: Reuters

The leader of the Russian-controlled Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov is critically ill and has fallen into a coma according to Ukrainian sources.

Reports of the leader’s hospitalization follow the disappearance of his personal doctor amid rumors of poisoning. Kadyrov leads a significant number of soldiers—known as Kadyrovites—contributing to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

A staunch Putin ally, Kadyrov and his father Ahmad have provided significant assistance to Russian forces in securing control of Chechnya and in suppressing a decade-long insurgency in the aftermath of the second Chechen war.

Kadyrov’s long-term incapacitation or death will likely result in a significant power vacuum in Chechnya. Many Russian-controlled regions where local inhabitants outnumber ethnic Russians have already seen increased unrest, like in Dagestan where protests led to mass detentions after the first Russian wave of partial mobilization. Additionally, a large number of Chechens are fighting on the Ukrainian side and may return in such a scenario to help their homeland regain its independence. As Russia’s military capabilities are increasingly absorbed by the war in Ukraine, regions with already rebellious tendencies may pose a large threat to Moscow’s ability to effectively govern and conduct its military operations.