Akhmat Kadyrov during his unofficial meeting with Vladimir Putin (Picture: east2west news)
Speculation about the ‘poisoning’ of Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has increased after his heir was summoned to meet alone with Vladimir Putin.
Ramzan, the authoritarian leader of Russia’s North Caucasus region of Chechnya, is reportedly ‘seriously ill’ with kidney problems and has summoned a UAE doctor as he ‘does not trust’ Moscow doctors.
His son, Akhmat, met with the Russian president last week supposedly to discuss ‘youth services’.
It took place in the Kremlin but was not reported by the president’s press service.
Putin shaking hands with Chechnya’s head Ramzan Kadyrov during a meeting in 2014 (Picture: AFP)
Bizarrely, the 17-year-old – who oversees youth policy in the republic – then flew back home and got married.
This is the first time in 20 years that another person has met with Putin on behalf of Chechnya.
There are now rumours that Akhmet could be taking over his dad’s post, who has long been one of the president’s main allies.
Telegram channel Vremennoye Pravilelstvo reported: ‘The meeting of Kadyrov’s son with Putin surprisingly coincided with reports that Kadyrov fell seriously ill.
The head of the Chechnya has been an outspoken ally of Russia in Ukraine (Picture: east2west news)
‘He has problems with the kidneys. He might well retire.
‘So it is possible that Kadyrov Jr was presented to the president as a successor to the post of head of Chechnya.
‘Some may object that an underage man is too young to hold positions.
‘But in Chechnya all people with the surname Kadyrov miraculously get positions beyond their age – apparently, because of their talents.’
Kadyrov has reportedly fallen ‘seriously ill’ (Picture: PA Images)
A statement was put out in Ramzan Kadyrov’s name after the meeting with Putin, yet the Chechen leader was nowhere to be seen.
It said: ‘I do not know other details of this interesting meeting, since I did not talk to Akhmat about this due to our customs and tradition of strict relations between dad and son.’
The statement ended with an effusive expression of loyalty to Putin despite all the recent criticisms of his strategy on the frontlines in Ukraine.
He praised the Russian leader for the ‘many years of support, help, understanding and responsiveness’.
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He said: ‘In the most difficult period for the Chechens he believed in the people, in our desire to live peacefully and amicably as part of a great country.
‘I assure you that for the sake of our President, we will always defend the interests of the motherland, protect its integrity, ensure security, be loyal and, if there is an order from the supreme commander-in-chief, ready to give our lives for the great, mighty and invincible Russia.’
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There are now rumours the Chechen warlord may be stepping down.