The worrying state of health of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov was the subject of a vast investigation published Monday April 22, 2024 in the Russian opposition media Novaya Gazeta. In order to silence rumors about his alleged weakening, the 47-year-old leader filmed himself the same day with his close guard in the middle of a weight training session, report The Independent And HuffPost .
“The busy day ended with training and positivity. Physical activity not only improves your body, but also your mood. Evening classes are a great way to relax and recharge your batteries”, we can read in the caption of the video published on his VKontakte page, the Russian equivalent of Facebook. We see Ramzan Kadyrov in full effort, lifting weights and using weight machines. “Remember that taking care of your health is an investment in the future”declares the head of state.
Visible symptoms
Earlier today, the investigation Novaya Gazeta had revealed that Ramzan Kadyrov had been suffering from a “pancreatic necrosis” probably caused by excessive alcohol consumption. According to the opposition media, the leader’s health has started to deteriorate. “deteriorate quickly” in spring 2022, with the brain gradually being affected. It was then that visible symptoms would have appeared: the investigation mentions in particular “difficulty speaking”a slow gait and a tendency “dressing too warmly for the Chechen climate”.
To silence the rumors, the one we call the “Putin’s cleaner” had posted a first video on VKontakte, showing him sitting at the end of a large table during a meeting on the war in Ukraine. We see a dead Ramzan Kadyrov, expressionless and almost motionless under the visibly distraught gaze of the audience. In another video published last September, the Chechen leader had already described rumors about his state of health as “lies”.
