Chechnya’s Ramzan Kadyrov says his fighters killed in Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Tuesday that Chechens have been killed in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kadyrov, a former rebel-turned-Kremlin-ally, has given his backing for President Putin’s attack on Ukraine, sending his notorious fighters to the country.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

“Unfortunately, there are already losses among the natives of the Chechen Republic. Two died, six more were injured to varying degrees,” Kadyrov said on Telegram.

Service members march along a street following head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov's address, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine, in Grozny, Russia February 25, 2022. (Reuters)

Kadyrov, in charge of Russia’s Chechnya Republic which he governs de-facto by his own set of rules, has posted videos of Chechen fighters in Ukraine.

On Tuesday, he posted one of a Chechen fighter with Russian tanks rolling by.

Russia has not said how many of its forces have been killed in the invasion, but also admitted losses last week.

Kadyrov said the killed Chechen fighters “chose to become heroes.”

“Yes, they kill in war and that was their choice of profession,” he said.

He claimed that “they had an order to minimize losses among the civilian population of Ukraine.”

Russia denies targeting civilian areas, but residential areas are being shelled.

Ukraine says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Putin launched the attack last Thursday.

Moscow has invaded from several directions, including from Belarus, Moscow-annexed Crimea and from territory controlled by east Ukraine’s separatists.

Read more:

At least 10 killed in strikes on Ukraine’s Kharkiv, Zelenskyy claims war crime

Kremlin says it considers Zelenskyy legitimate president of Ukraine

Russian FM Lavrov says time for US to remove nuclear weapons from Europe