Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov has posted new videos of him being ‘active’ following reports that he almost drowned in Turkey.
On Saturday, a video was posted on Kadyrov’s official Telegram channel, in which he is seen playing billiards with his son Adam. A day earlier, a separate video was published on his personal VKontakte page, showing him pedalling on an exercise bike. Since the beginning of summer, Kadyrov has made almost no public appearances, and in July, media outlets reported that he may have been hospitalised in Turkey.
The video showing the exercise bike ‘workout’ lasts around 30 seconds. In the footage, Kadyrov speaks in Chechen, saying, ‘After a break, one must return to full workouts gradually’. This quote was cited by the state news agency Grozny-Inform, which also referred to the session as a ‘morning workout’. The time and location of the recording were not disclosed. In the video, Kadyrov appears visibly unwell and tired; according to one version circulating online, the footage may have been created with the help of AI.
The following day, a video of a billiards game was published. In the footage, Kadyrov and his 17-year-old son Adam are playing billiards, with Kadyrov, dressed in a black T-shirt and cap, making several shots. The caption states that he lost to his son, who is described as the Secretary of the Security Council of Chechnya. It is also noted that Ramzan Kadyrov had ‘not held a cue in a long time’ and plans to ‘get his revenge’.
A few days earlier, an official account also posted a photo of a chess match between Kadyrov and his eldest son, Akhmat. No information was provided about when or where the image was taken.
https://oc-media.org/kadyrov-says-he-won-friendly-chess-match-against-his-son/
In July, several Turkish media outlets, citing sources in local law enforcement, reported that Kadyrov had allegedly been taken to a clinic in Bodrum following an incident at sea when he reportedly almost drowned. According to those reports, he began to feel unwell while swimming, was pulled from the water, and received medical attention. No official confirmation of this information has been issued. Representatives of the Chechen authorities and Russian federal bodies have not commented on the reports.
Since June, footage featuring Kadyrov has become less frequent on Chechen state television. Public events involving him have also become increasingly rare.
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
