Akhmat Kadyrov, Chechnya’s Minister for Physical Culture and Sport and the eldest son of regional head Ramzan Kadyrov, has joined Russia’s ruling party, United Russia. The announcement was made by Ramzan Kadyrov following an expanded meeting of the regional party council.
The ceremony took place in Grozny on Tuesday. It was attended by Magomed Daudov — chair of the Chechen government, secretary of the regional branch of United Russia, and a member of the party’s Supreme Council — as well as senior ministry officials and representatives of local administrations.
Alongside Akhmat Kadyrov, a party card was also presented to Abuzayd Vismuradov, Deputy head of the Chechen government and commander of the Terek special forces unit. Vismuradov is related to Ramzan Kadyrov by marriage — his son is married to Kadyrov’s third daughter, Tabarik. Both men received their party cards directly from Ramzan Kadyrov.
Daudov summarised the regional branch’s work in 2025, noting that from January to October, the party had organised around 1,000 events with the participation of more than 60,000 activists and supporters. He emphasised that the main focus was the implementation of the People’s Programme, which included projects on gasification, and the construction and renovation of schools, hospitals, and sports facilities.
Speaking at the meeting, Ramzan Kadyrov called for preparations for the 2026 elections, during which Chechnya will hold votes at multiple levels — from the head of the republic to deputies of municipal districts. He expressed confidence that the party would ‘fulfil this task with dignity under the leadership of Magomed Daudov’.
According to Kadyrov the regional branch of United Russia currently includes more than 107,000 members and over 3,000 supporters.
In a comment to the Grozny-Inform state-run agency, Akhmat Kadyrov said that joining the party was ‘not just a sign of belonging to a powerful political force, but also an additional motivation for further work for the benefit of the republic and the country’.
He added that United Russia plays ‘a key role in ensuring the stability and prosperity of the state’, and that its legislative initiatives ‘allow citizens to look to the future with confidence’.
‘I sincerely thank Ramzan Akhmatovich for the trust he has shown. There is a lot of work ahead, and I am ready to contribute to the development of our party and the implementation of its ideas’, Akhmat Kadyrov said.
In Chechnya, almost all senior officials — including members of the government, heads of local administrations, and MPs — belong to United Russia. The party dominates not only the North Caucasus, but Russia as a whole. According to the Central Election Commission, United Russia holds the majority of seats in the national parliament and in every regional legislature. In Chechnya, the party consistently receives over 90% of votes in elections that observers have repeatedly criticised for a lack of competition.
Elizaveta Chukharova
