Chechen leader threatens to use Ukrainian POWs as human shields against drones

Ramzan Kadyrov. Screenshot: video by Kadyrov

Ramzan Kadyrov, ruler of Russia’s Chechen Republic, has visited Ukrainian prisoners of war and threatened to use them as human shields against drones attacking the republic. [The Chechen Republic, also known as Chechnya, is a federal subject of the Russian Federation; the Ukrainian parliament has recognised it as the temporarily Russian-occupied territory of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria – ed.]

Source: a video on Kadyrov’s Telegram channel; Russian media; Agentstvo (Agency) Telegram channel

Details: The room where the meeting took place was equipped with bunks and Ukrainian prisoners of war were present.

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During the conversation, the Chechen proposed to place the prisoners of war “at the facilities that were photographed by American satellites”, “put them all on the roof”, “let them guard our territories”, and “give them good weapons”.

Ramzan Kadyrov also said that Ukrainian prisoners of war were allegedly being “hidden so that they would not be attacked”.

In another video published by Russian media, Kadyrov suggested that one of the prisoners shoot himself, and when he said he wanted to live, Kadyrov asked: “Why? War is about killing. You went out to kill, to die”.

The Agentstvo Telegram channel’s video shows Nazar Dorofieiev, 22, who is listed in the database of missing persons in Ukraine. According to the database, Dorofieiev disappeared near Avdiivka on 12 February 2024.

The propaganda media reports that Kadyrov arrived at the meeting with the Ukrainian prisoners of war in a Russian BMP-3 as part of a convoy of military equipment, including trophy Bradleys.

Later, during a face-to-face meeting with residents, which was broadcast live, Kadyrov admitted that a drone attacked the city of Grozny on 4 December and hit the roof of the police building.

For reference: The Russians have recently published lists of Ukrainian prisoners of war whom Ukraine allegedly refuses to bring back home.

Dmytro Lubinets, Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Commissioner for Human Rights, denies this information and recalls that Ukraine is ready to bring back all its citizens from captivity and has never delayed exchanges.

Background:

• On 30 October, Kadyrov announced that he had ordered Akhmat commanders not to take Ukrainian soldiers prisoner anymore.
• On 15 September, Akhmat commander Apti Alaudinov refused to swap Chechen prisoners of war in Ukrainian captivity, advising them to “wash off their shame with blood” and be slaughtered instead.
• I Want to Live (Hochu Zhit), a project run by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, released a video of Russian prisoners of war who say they are from the Chechen city of Grozny. According to the project, they were captured in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
• On 2 November, Ramzan Kadyrov announced that he had lifted his previous order for fighters from the Akhmat, a Chechen armed formation fighting on Russia’s side, not to take Ukrainian soldiers prisoner. 

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