Politics
Putin unleashes thousands of Jihadi fighters into Ukraine
Ramzan Kadyrov, the Islamic leader of Russia's Chechnya region and one of Putin’s most loyal henchmen, said on Saturday that forces under his control had been deployed to Ukraine and had so far suffered no losses
February 26, 2022 1:09pm
Updated: February 27, 2022 12:56pm
Russian President Vladimir Putin unleashed a squad of an estimated 12,000 Chechen jihadi fighters into Ukraine, allegedly ordering them to detain or kill a select group of Ukrainian officials.
Ramzan Kadyrov, the Islamic leader of Russia's Chechnya region and one of Putin’s most loyal henchmen, said on Saturday that forces under his control had been deployed to Ukraine and had so far suffered no losses, Reuters reported.
"As of today, as of this minute, we do not have one single casualty, or wounded, not a single man has even had a runny nose," Kadyrov said, insisting that Ukrainian sources and widely reported mainstream media reports were all false.
"The president (Putin) took the right decision, and we will carry out his orders under any circumstances," he added.
According to sources in Moscow, fighters were given a 'deck of cards' with the photos and descriptions of lawmakers and security officers suspected of ‘crimes’ by the Russian Investigative Committee, The Daily Mail reported.
Kadyrov has previously described himself as Putin’s “foot soldier” and his war-hardened forces previously deployed to support Russian military operations in Syria and Georgia.
On the day before his troops moved into Ukraine, the Muslim leader -- who previously described himself as Putin’s “foot soldier” -- addressed his forces in the central square of the Chechen capital of Grozny and said that upwards of 70,000 volunteer fighters would serve in the “hottest spots in Ukraine.”
“Taking this opportunity, I want to give advice to the current President Zelensky so that he calls our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologizes for not doing so sooner. Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward. This will be the most correct and patriotic step for him,” the leader declared.
In a video published by state-backed Russian news channel RT, the Muslim soldiers can be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” in response.
