Putin promotes loyal crony Ramzan Kadyrov to Colonel-General amid fears brutal Chechen leader is poised for new role as Ukraine war commander
- Kadyrov boasted that Putin has 'personally congratulated' him with a promotion
- He said he gives his word that he will 'honour this trust' offered by Putin
- The warlord is rumoured to want to oust defence minister Sergei Shoigu
Vladimir Putin has promoted his feared crony Ramzan Kadyrov to Colonel-General amid rumours of a senior new war role for the brutal Chechen leader.
The Kremlin loyalist boasted in video that he had been 'personally congratulated' by the Russian despot, amid fears the warlord could be poised for even greater responsibility in Ukraine.
Kadyrov, who has been one of the biggest cheerleaders of Putin's invasion, has claimed he is the West's top bogeyman, with more sanctions than even North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
In recent days his security agents have been exposed as ordering the husbands of anti-war women protesters to beat them as punishment.
Male relatives were sent to the conflict in Ukraine in vengeance.
Previously Kadyrov was a Lt-General in the Russian national guard, one of the military forces engaged in Putin's Ukrainian invasion
Vladimir Putin has promoted his feared crony Ramzan Kadyrov to Colonel-General amid rumours of a senior new war role for the brutal Chechen leader
The Kremlin loyalist boasted in video that he had been 'personally congratulated' by the Russian despot
He also claimed he was sending three of his underage sons - Akhmat, Eli, and Adam, aged 16, 15, and 14 respectively - to fight on the frontline in Ukraine.
Rumours say he wants to oust defence minister Sergei Shoigu and take on the job or play some other commander's role.
'Putin's foot-soldier became a Colonel-General today - order number 709,' he said.
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'The president personally congratulated me.
'I give my word I will honour this trust.
'This is an advance for me.'
Previously Kadyrov was a Lt-General in the Russian national guard, one of the military forces engaged in Putin's Ukrainian invasion.
In recent days his security agents have been exposed as ordering the husbands of anti-war women protesters to beat them as punishment
Rumours say he wants to oust defence minister Sergei Shoigu and take on the job or play some other commander's role
Kadyrov has been ultra-critical of the defence ministry's war strategy and evidently believes Putin is now listening.
He has also personally recruited tens of thousands of 'volunteers' to fight in Putin's war.
'We will do everything to quickly finish the special operation,' he said.
'There is no war without casualties. This is war.
'What are men born for….?'
He posted: 'Your Ramzan is now a Colonel-General -for the evil of his enemies, and the joy of his friends.
'We will destroy terrorism, satanism and the like.'
After protests in Chechnya last month, one man, Adam Muradov, who was 'forced to beat his wife', and whose son Valid, 18, was subsequently sent to the war, is reported to have died of a heart attack.
Up to 130 men were told that if they did not bear their wives, Kadyrov's police would do so.
Kadyrov has been ultra-critical of the defence ministry's war strategy and evidently believes Putin is now listening
He boasts about Western sanctions, claiming he has more than President Alexander Lukashenko and Syrian tyrant Bashar al-Assad, he said neither had been sanctioned so much by the West.
'I have even left the North Korean leader behind, while they have made movies about him in Hollywood,' said Kadyrov.
He is suspected in the West of ordering a string of extra-judicial killings outside Russia, accusations he strongly denies.
He is also accused of human rights abuses and torture against his political opponents and gay activists.
Brushing aside Russian and international law, he said his three sons Akhmat, Eli, and Adam were 'ready to use their skills in the [war] zone.
'And I'm not kidding.
'It's time to show themselves in a real fight, and I only welcome their desire.
'Soon they will go to the front line and will be on the most difficult sections of the contact line.'
Kadyrov, 45, has 14 children - including two adopted - and is in polygamous relationships with three wives.
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