Turkish media outlets have reported that Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov almost drowned and required emergency medical assistance while holidaying in Bodrum, Turkey.
Several Turkish news outlets and newspapers covered the incident on Thursday.
According to the newspaper Nefes, Kadyrov was staying in the Kainar district of the resort town of Bodrum, southwestern Turkey. The paper’s sources claim the incident occurred near the coast, when the Chechen leader entered the water and allegedly began choking. Security personnel and attendants reportedly called for emergency services.
The daily Milliyet reported that Kadyrov received first aid on the beach, after which he was taken to a private clinic. Yeni Şafak reported that Kadyrov remained under medical observation for some time, but his condition is now stable.
All publications have cited anonymous sources, and none specified the exact date of the incident. The newspapers report that the incident occurred ‘at noon’, and that news of it surfaced on 24 July.
Neither Russian nor Chechen official sources have issued any public statements in response.
In recent months, Kadyrov has largely avoided public appearances. His presence at government meetings has been limited and brief — in most official videos, he remains silent or makes only brief remarks.
Last week, Chechnya’s Minister for National Policy, External Relations, Press, and Information, Akhmed Dudaev, claimed that ‘in the first half of the month alone, the head of the republic attended more than 30 newsworthy events’. However, he did not address Kadyrov’s absence from key meetings in June or comment on his noticeably reduced public activity.
Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that Kadyrov was diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis in 2019.
Since then, sporadic reports in independent media and opposition Telegram channels have speculated about his possible hospitalisations and his health. In April 2024, Kadyrov attempted to dispel such rumours by releasing a video showing him exercising.
Novaya Gazeta Europe further reported that Kadyrov’s condition had deteriorated sharply in 2025, with a report in February suggesting that he underwent medical treatment at a private clinic in Grozny owned by his wife, Medni Kadyrova. Sources claim he did not leave the clinic for several weeks.
In May 2025, after the wake of persistent reports about his allegedly deteriorating health Kadyrov released a video accompanied by a text stating: ‘I will live as long as I am destined to’, adding that ‘death is the path of every person’.
That month amidst fresh reports of his ill health, Kadyrov publicly expressed his desire to step down as Chechnya’s head, suggesting that ‘another person would bring new ideas and visions’. This was not the first time he had made such a statement, however.
The Kremlin has yet to confirm any resignation plans. Following his remarks, Kadyrov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which he announced that he had received the president’s backing and would remain in his position.
Speculation about Kadyrov’s health has also given rise to reports about his succession plans. The Russian independent media outlet iStories (Vazhnye istorii) claimed that Kadyrov has been preparing to pass power to his third son, 17-year-old Adam Kadyrov. However, according to the report, the Kremlin did not support this proposal, not least because Russian law prohibits anyone under 30 from heading a region.
Elizaveta Chukharova
