Chechen fighter apologizes to Kadyrov for surrendering to Ukrainian forces

One of the Chechen fighters who returned from the Ukrainian captivity publicly apologized to Ramzan Kadyrov, who criticized militaries for surrendering to the Ukrainian forces. According to the fighter, he is waiting to be sent to the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on April 15, the leader of Chechnya announced the return of five Chechen fighters from the Ukrainian captivity. At the same time, Ramzan Kadyrov refused to meet them, criticized them for surrendering, and offered them to go back to the zone of the special military operation.

“We didn’t give up … all five ran out of ammunition, and our positions were bombarded with gas grenades,” said one of the Chechen fighters as follows from a video posted on Ramzan Kadyrov’s Telegram channel.

The fighter also noted that the above could not be an excuse for surrendering. “In the near future we will prove in battle how warriors are able and should fight,” the young man promised.

According to the “Kavkaz.Realii”*, the fighter assured the leader of Chechnya that the former prisoners of war (POWs) would be happy to give their lives in the war against Ukraine.

Human rights defenders emphasized that Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement about the need to return to the front line for Chechen fighters released from the Ukrainian captivity are aimed at preventing surrendering and fit into the Stalinist traditions, when captivity was considered a shame.

Svetlana Gannushkina*, the chair of the “Civic Assistance Committee”*, fears that the Chechens who have returned from the Ukrainian captivity may face new difficulties, since the Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement suggested the need to find out how they were captured at all. “After all, there is a setting: to perish, but not to surrender. Such a low value of human life,” Svetlana Gannushkina* pointed out.

Human rights defender Oyub Titiev emphasized that the Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement and actions imply a direct indication that those fighters should return to the front line.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.