Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s deteriorating health has reportedly become particularly noticeable over the past month, including requiring him to become dependent on dialysis and use a nephrostomy bag.
The Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe wrote about Kadyrov’s changes in health in an article published on Thursday.
According to the authors’ observations, Kadyrov’s deteriorating health became particularly noticeable in August, when Chechnya traditionally holds commemorative events for his father, Akhmat Kadyrov. This month has always been central to Kadyrov’s public activity.
On 1 August, Kadyrov posted a video on social media showing him exercising on a stationary bike, admitting that he had ‘neglected sport’. Such a statement contrasts with his earlier declarations about his ‘robust health’. On 20 August, he repeated the admission while welcoming UFC champion Khamzat Chimaev.
The Novaya Gazeta Europe article noted that while Kadyrov continued to attend ceremonies and openings, his involvement became more limited. For instance, he did not appear at a banquet marking an international special forces tournament, sending his son Adam instead, who has been appointed curator of the ‘Russian University of Special Forces’.
Footage broadcast by Chechen television shows Kadyrov personally inspecting the construction of the Putin microdistrict in Grozny, opening a sports centre and a swimming pool, handing over new buses to the city fleet, attending concerts and the special forces championship, as well as flying to Moscow for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and UAE President Muhammed ben Zaid al-Nahayan.
But in each of these episodes, limitations are evident: Kadyrov is almost always shown in static shots, and when movement is visible, his steps are very slow and laboured. Camera operators appear to have avoided filming him in full height at close range, which in itself indirectly appears to indicate problems.
Routine duties — meetings and conferences in his office — have largely been delegated to Prime Minister Magomed Daudov. Throughout August, Kadyrov personally held only one meeting.
Novaya Gazeta Europe also pointed to changes in Kadyrov’s appearance, noting that over the past year, he has lost significant weight. Whereas in the past Kadyrov emphasised his physique with well-fitted clothing, he now prefers loose sports tops and baggy trousers.
This corresponds with the observations of Novaya Gazeta Europe’s sources in the regional Federal Security Service (FSB) office: according to them, both the new clothing style and the more relaxed working schedule are linked to Kadyrov’s health issues.
According to the outlet, Kadyrov’s condition is under close surveillance by the security services — the FSB reportedly collects information on Kadyrov’s health through agents in his inner circle.
The reason for such attention is his repeated failure to comply with doctors’ instructions. Kadyrov, a source claimed, is prone to self-medication, which has several times led to crisis situations.
‘It is difficult for him to come to terms with the illness and the restrictions required by treatment. The disease is incurable and progressing, although he receives the highest level of medical care available in Russia. But the accompanying side effects are severe, and if he ignores the doctors, they may kill him faster than the disease itself,’ Novaya Gazeta Europe quoted its interlocutor as saying.
According to this source, Kadyrov undergoes regular dialysis, and in February had a nephrostomy — a special drainage tube to divert urine from the kidneys — fitted. The procedure itself is not dangerous, but it requires strict precautions and makes the patient’s life dependent on medical support.
Doctors usually recommend patients with a nephrostomy wear loose clothing, avoid sudden movements, and refrain from heavy physical activity, which could explain both Kadyrov’s new wardrobe and his cautious, slower movements in public.
In August, Kadyrov again claimed he was completely healthy, while emphasising that he did not need to hold meetings every day because ‘work is well-established and successful in all directions’.
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, in 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 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 claimed that Kadyrov has been preparing to pass power to his son Adam. 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
