Kadyrovs Son Steps into Deputy PM Role as Speculation Grows Over Father’s Health

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced on Monday that he has appointed his 20-year-old son, Akhmat Kadyrov, as the acting deputy prime minister of the republic.

Akhmat Kadyrov will continue in his role as the minister of physical culture and sports for Chechnya, a position he took on in 2024 at the age of 18. He has also been serving as the regional minister of youth affairs since the winter of 2024.

In addition, Kadyrov revealed that Akhmed Dudayev, who is the minister of national policy, external relations, press, and information for Chechnya, has been appointed as acting deputy prime minister.

This is not the first occasion where Ramzan Kadyrov has elevated one of his children to a government position. His younger brother, Adam Kadyrov, who is 18, has taken on at least seven official roles in the past two years. He was initially named his father’s head of security in 2023, a year in which he gained notoriety for an incident involving a teenage prisoner accused of burning the Quran.

Ramzan Kadyrov, now 49, has governed Chechnya with extensive autonomy since 2007, in return for loyalty to the Kremlin. Exiled media have reported on the family’s opulent lifestyle, which includes fleets of luxury vehicles, high-end watches, and extravagant wedding celebrations.

Akhmat Kadyrov’s recent promotion comes during renewed concerns regarding his father’s health.

In 2024, the exiled news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe claimed that Kadyrov is suffering from a serious illness, potentially pancreatic necrosis, while Kremlin public relations specialists have reportedly worked to hide his condition.

Recently, the outlet reported that Kadyrov was urgently admitted to a Moscow hospital just before the annual State Council meeting led by President Vladimir Putin on December 25, citing an unnamed source connected to the Chechen leader.

«They barely brought him back to life in Moscow; after that, he returned home and has not made a public appearance since,» Novaya Gazeta quoted its source saying.

Kadyrov has refuted claims regarding his deteriorating health.

On Saturday, Kadyrov’s official Telegram channel shared video footage of him attending the inauguration of an Islamic school. In the video, he does not speak and is seen using a walking stick.