Kadyrov urges parents to “rejoice” over sending their children to war against Ukraine
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said that parents of conscript soldiers should “rejoice” when their sons are sent to fight against Ukraine.
He made the statement during a live broadcast, responding to a question about whether conscripts from Chechnya are being forced to take part in what Russia calls its “special military operation.”
Kadyrov dismissed claims of coercion as “absolute nonsense” and insisted that participation in the war is allegedly an honorable duty.
He then switched to the Chechen language, adding that, in his view, parents should be pleased that their sons are selected to take part in combat operations. The official translation provided by the Grozny TV channel framed his remarks as referring to the “defense of the Motherland.”
However, native Chechen speakers interviewed by journalists emphasized that Kadyrov referred to participation in a “ghazavat,” meaning a “holy war,” rather than a generic defense of the country.
Previously, Kadyrov announced he would pay one million rubles for each downed drone.
