Adam Kadyrov, Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s third son, has turned 18. The young Kadyrov has for years appeared to have been groomed to succeed his father as head of Chechnya amidst rumours of Ramzan Kadyrov’s deteriorating health.
Adam Kadyrov celebrated his 18th birthday on Monday.
According to Chechen customs, or adat, he was considered an adult when he turned 15, when he was allowed to carry a dagger, but he has only now reached adulthood under Russian law.
His father, Ramzan Kadyrov, posted a congratulatory message on his personal Telegram channel accompanied by a video in which he wishes his son ‘happiness, resilience, well-being, and confidence in every step’. He emphasised that, despite his youth, Adam had already established himself as a responsible member of the Kadyrov team: ‘I see how Adam grows, works, and strives to be useful to his people’.
Kadyrov also noted that his son holds the title of hafiz — someone who has memorised the Quran. According to the pro-government portal Lenta.ru, Adam Kadyrov memorised the holy book at the age of six, ‘before fully mastering the Russian language’.
Among those congratulating Adam on his 18th birthday was UFC fighter Khamzat Chimaev, who wrote on social media: ‘I sincerely congratulate my dear brother, assistant to the Chechen Head, Secretary of the Security Council Adam Kadyrov, on his birthday. Adam Ramzanovich is always there, ready at the right moment to lend a brotherly shoulder and provide all kinds of support and help. I truly value and am grateful to him! Happy birthday, brother. I wish you health, happiness, well-being, and all the very best!’.
By the age of 18, Adam 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 named in Gudermes, as well as a Defence Ministry battalion.
In October 2023, Adam Kadyrov was awarded the title Hero of Chechnya and received the Order of Akhmat Kadyrov.
In June, before reaching adulthood, he got married. His bride, Medni, is a native of his home village. High-ranking officials attended the wedding, including vice-premiers, governors, and federal representatives — Russian President Vladimir Putin personally congratulated the newlyweds.
The pro-government media outlet Lenta.ru, which prepared an extensive piece for Adam Kadyrov’s birthday, employed a sarcastic tone when describing his ‘achievements’.
For example, one of the sections, dedicated to Kadyrov’s beating of Nikita Zhuravel for burning the Quran and the refusal of law enforcement to investigate the case, is titled ‘The Lynch-Master’, while in the section discussing Adam’s ‘outstanding’ shooting skills, it states: ‘Adam Kadyrov is known to Russians as a skilled marksman. He can fire two golden machine guns simultaneously, and with one machine gun in his hand, he drew various symbols in the sky — letters, numbers, and hearts’.
Given the censorship imposed on Russian media, it is notable that Lenta.ru wrote about Adam Kadyrov with such a tone, as generally state media is not allowed to criticise the heads of regions or their family members.
Independent Russian media outlets have claimed in recent months that Ramzan Kadyrov is grooming Adam Kadyrov as his successor and is seeking a legal or political mechanism through which power can be transferred. However, under Russian law, direct transfer of official government positions to family members is not permitted.
Elizaveta Chukharova
