On December 14, Chechnya held Ramzan Kadyrov’s annual call-in program summarizing the year. According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, the main political outcome was his statement that he is prepared to run again in the 2026 election for head of the republic if that decision is backed by the president and by residents.
The paper says the format changed noticeably. Unlike previous years, most questions were handled by Kadyrov’s allies, while he mainly moderated the discussion and answered only selected topics. The outlet reports that this followed a trip to the UAE, where, according to its source, Kadyrov underwent examinations by nephrologists from a German clinic and blood-cleansing procedures.
The broadcast also touched on the war in Ukraine and drone attacks on Chechnya. Kadyrov said there were no deaths from the strikes and that the injuries were minor. However, a source for Novaya Gazeta Europe in the regional FSB office claims that at least one officer was killed during the December attacks.
Another section focused on the social problems of families of men sent to the war. After appeals from relatives, some families quickly received housing, while others had previously been refused. The newspaper says this raises questions about how aid is distributed and about the work of the regional branch of the Defenders of the Fatherland fund.
Chechen Prime Minister Magomed Daudov reported that registered unemployment had fallen to 3.5%. At the same time, experts interviewed by the paper questioned whether such figures reflect real economic growth and suggested that the official statistics may have been adjusted downward, with forced recruitment for the war also affecting the numbers.
Another issue was the concentration of business in the hands of the Kadyrov family. He rejected accusations that he personally runs businesses, though he acknowledged that his children do. Novaya Gazeta Europe points to the closure of private pharmacies, the exit of Yandex Taxi and the Lenta hypermarket, and links those decisions to the interests of people around the regional leader. The article concludes by saying that the question of a successor in Chechnya is already being discussed, and its source names presidential aide Ruslan Edelgeriyev among the possible figures.