Kadyrov Begins Fifth Term as Chechen Leader

Ramzan Kadyrov began his fifth term as head of Chechnya on October 5. The inauguration ceremony was held in Grozny on his 50th birthday. Kadyrov pledged that he would "protect the Quran, the constitutions of the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic, as well as the right of our population to life and the happy future of our children". He said: "This is my duty. This is my word. The word of Ramzan Kadyrov".

In the September elections, Kadyrov, who was nominated by the ruling party "United Russia", officially received 99.85% of the vote. Voter turnout was 95.19%, and 830,690 people voted for Kadyrov. Candidates Ismail Denilkhanov ("A Just Russia – For Truth") and Khalid Nakaev (Communist Party) received 0.05% each. Kadyrov has governed Chechnya since 2007. Election observers and independent Russian media criticized the elections, saying the process was tightly controlled and the opposition was barely allowed to take part.

According to Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate him on his victory. Kadyrov said: "Of course, he congratulated me. He wished me success and happiness. He asked me to convey his gratitude to the Chechen people". This was Kadyrov's fifth inauguration; the ceremonies in 2016 and 2021 were also held on October 5, his birthday.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' congratulated Kadyrov on his birthday on the day of the inauguration and presented him with the First Class Order of "Glory and Honor". The order was established in 2004 and is awarded to state, religious and public figures, including for their contribution to interreligious cooperation and strengthening peace and friendship among peoples. In his congratulatory message, Kirill called Kadyrov a "strong-willed, purposeful and responsible leader" who "tirelessly cares for the region entrusted to him and its population". He emphasized the "good relations" established between the Chechen government and the Grozny Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The award was given two days after Kadyrov was granted the rank of army general. On October 3, Viktor Zolotov, director of the Rosgvardia, presented Kadyrov, who has never served in the Russian armed forces, with gold shoulder boards and a burgundy beret.

Heads of neighboring republics also attended the inauguration. Acting head of Dagestan Fyodor Shchukin wished Kadyrov "good health, boundless energy and success in future endeavors" and described his victory as "convincing evidence of popular support". Kabardino-Balkaria head Kazbek Kokov called Kadyrov "a dear brother and colleague" and said he "confidently leads his people on the path of development and construction".

Congratulatory telegrams to Kadyrov were sent by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Kremlin administration head Anton Vaino, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and other senior Russian officials.

Kadyrov's pledge to protect the rights of Chechens contradicts the many years of reports by Russian and international human rights organizations on rights violations in Chechnya. Human Rights Watch's world report published in 2026 states that the Chechen authorities continued to persecute relatives of Kadyrov's opponents in 2025. In 2026, Memorial wrote about a new wave of raids, abductions and forced signing of contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry. A number of human rights organizations criticize the practice of torture and extrajudicial killings in Chechnya during Kadyrov's rule.

Source: Publika