Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, 43, was hospitalized in Moscow on Thursday, suspected of being ill from new coronavirus, Russian agencies reported, the latest case of a senior Russian official infected with the disease. “Ramzan Kadyrov was flown to Moscow, the coronavirus is suspected. He is under observation of doctors“, a medical source told state agency TASS, describing his condition as”stable“.
Impose confinement in one’s country
“For Kadyrov, we suspect the coronavirus, it is under observation“also said a Moscow medical source to the Interfax agency, while the public agency Ria Novosti reported the hospitalization of the 43-year-old Chechen official. The authorities of Grozny did not comment on this information, affirming in the Russian media that their leader was leading the efforts of fight against the epidemic.
Unpredictable, renowned for his rantings and suspected by his critics of having ordered assassinations of detractors, Mr. Kadyrov has multiplied threatening declarations to impose confinement in Chechnya and silence the critics.
Threat to journalist
In April he threatened a journalist with the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta for an article which reported that Chechens with coronavirus disease were reluctant to seek help from under-equipped hospitals, fearing punitive measures and reprisals by security forces.
The Chechen leader also publicly proclaimed that those who did not isolate themselves should be “you are“, comparing the Chechens who contaminate others with”terrorists“.
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Last controversial statement dated earlier this week, he demanded the dismissal of Chechen caregivers, “provocative“according to him, who had complained about the lack of means of protection against the new coronavirus.
Just over 1,000 cases
Mr. Kadyrov ruled Chechnya with the strength of the protection of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Long red beard and boxer build, he manages this territory as his personal stronghold, endowed with his own army of loyalists. He was placed at the head of this small Russian predominantly Muslim Caucasian republic by Mr. Putin in 2007, three years after the death in a bomb attack of his father Akhmad Kadyrov, the first pro-Kremlin president of Chechnya.
Chechnya officially counts 1026 detected cases of new coronavirus since the start of the epidemic in Russia, including 11 dead. In total, Russia has 317,554 identified infected and 3099 dead.
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