Rumors about the health of the leader of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov are spreading again in Russia after a media report that he is suffering from an incurable pancreatic disease, reported DPA and BTA.
Today the independent publication "Novaya Gazeta Evropa" reported on the health of Kadyrov, a close ally of the Kremlin and known for his brutal treatment of dissidents.
The authorities in Chechnya, which a few months ago denied rumors about Kadyrov's health, have not yet commented on the information published today.
The usually well-informed independent newspaper writes that "the health condition of 47-year-old Ramzan Kadyrov leaves no hope for recovery. And now Moscow must decide operationally how to maintain stability when the harsh Chechen dictator is no longer in power.
The newspaper, which was founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, cited sources close to Kadyrov as well as doctors at the Russian presidential administration hospital. The Chechen leader was said to have been treated there last autumn. It was then that rumors of his serious illness first emerged, fueled by his long absence from public life and visible problems during his rare public appearances.
At the time, the speculation was officially dismissed. His long stay in a Moscow hospital was disguised as a visit to his sick uncle, Novaya Gazeta reported today. However, the journalists are already convinced that it was Kadyrov who was the sick patient.
Meanwhile today on Kadyrov's channel in "Telegram" a video was released showing him participating in a meeting of the regional government in the capital of the Chechen Republic, Grozny. However, the recording is unlikely to dispel speculations about his health, DPA notes.
The video also shows the leader of Chechnya, who has been repeatedly accused of committing some of the most serious human rights violations, sitting almost motionless at the table and speaking slowly and with apparent difficulty.