Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s 18-year-old son Adam Kadyrov has been awarded a commemorative medal in honour of the 20th anniversary of the special motorised Sever (‘North’) Regiment named after his grandfather, Akhmat Kadyrov.
His father, Ramzan Kadyrov, announced the award given to his son, who serves as the Secretary of Chechnya’s Security Council.
A ceremonial formation marking the anniversary of the unit took place in Grozny. The event was attended by representatives of the Chechen leadership, security agencies, and unit commanders. Among those present were the head of the Russian National Guard Directorate for Chechnya, Sharip Delimkhanov, and the commander of a separate operational brigade, Ilya Samusenko.
According to the head of the republic, during the ceremony Adam Kadyrov addressed the regiment’s personnel and congratulated them on the anniversary of its founding. The publication states that he expressed gratitude to the soldiers for their service and noted their participation in various operations, adding that over the years the unit has ‘undergone significant development and consolidation’.
Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement said that the regiment’s personnel took part in military operations in previous years. It is also stated that they are currently involved in combat operations as part of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
During the event, Adam Kadyrov presented awards to soldiers, including the Kadyrov Order and the title Hero of the Chechen Republic, Qonakh. In addition, several fighters were awarded the Defender of the Chechen Republic medal.
Adam Kadyrov himself was also presented with a commemorative medal for the 20th anniversary of the formation of the regiment.
Following the official part of the ceremony, participants laid flowers at Akhmat Kadyrov’s monument as well as at a monument dedicated to fallen members of the unit.
The Sever regiment is part of the National Guard and was formed in the mid-2000s. It is named after Akhmat Kadyrov, the father of the current head of Chechnya.
Adam Kadyrov turned 18 in 2025, and is widely considered to be among his father’s preferred candidates to succeed him.
By the age of 18, Adam Kadyrov already held several significant public and governmental positions. He heads his father’s security department, serves as Secretary of Chechnya’s Security Council, oversees the Chechen Interior Ministry, and supervises the Russian Special Forces University in Gudermes, as well as a Defence Ministry battalion.
Adam Kadyrov was reported to have been involved in a major car accident in Grozy on 16 January, with independent sources claiming that he was in critical condition.
In the following days Chechen authorities did not provide any official statement, while conflicting information about his injuries and versions of the accident began to circulate.
Later Ramzan Kadyrov dismissed the reports as false, dismissing materials as deep-fakes and stressing the ‘urgency of fighting fake news’.
Subsequent reports have suggested that Adam Kadyrov underwent surgery and reportedly had a broken jaw and his spleen was removed, and that he may lose sight in one eye due to damage to his optic nerve.
Following the traffic incident Adam Kadyrov fell out of favour, Novaya Gazeta Europa reported, citing a source in the Federal Security Service (FSB). The FSB source claimed that Ramzan Kadyrov was initially ‘very worried’ about his son, but after learning that his condition had stabilised, ‘vented his anger’ and effectively removed him from his previous informal status as preferred successor. According to the source, Adam Kadyrov was ‘benched’ for having ‘let him down badly at a difficult political moment’. There is no other confirmation of this information.
Elizaveta Chukharova
