A source close to Chechnya's leadership told The Economist that Moscow's interests in Ukraine are "infinitely distant" from the republic's own. According to the source, despite his public support for the war, Kadyrov "perfectly understands the situation" and is not eager to sacrifice his people for the "Russian world."
At a meeting with Vladimir Putin in late April, Kadyrov said Chechnya had prepared and sent more than 70,000 troops to the war. That figure corresponds to 9% of the republic's male population, The Economist notes.
However, according to Mediazona and BBC, losses among ethnic Chechens do not reflect such a level of involvement: the deaths of 540 Chechens have been confirmed — 0.2% of total Russian losses. Chechnya's share of Russia's population is 1.1%, five times higher.
The discrepancy is explained by the recruitment of volunteers from other regions into Chechen units. Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces, acknowledged last year that Chechens make up only a quarter of his unit.
The source close to the Chechen leadership claims that Chechen residents participating in the war have been "ordered not to overdo it and to take care of themselves." In pro-war circles, Akhmat is called the "TikTok troops" for videos filmed away from the front line.
According to The Economist, Kadyrov has managed to avoid forced mobilization in Chechnya by intensifying repression against vulnerable groups. If he is required to send someone to the front, he does so at the expense of homosexuals, people with alcohol addiction, or relatives of Chechen opposition figures — this allows him to strengthen his image as "father of the nation."
Sources diverge: Kadyrov's public statements about the Chechen special forces' "burning desire" to carry out tasks contradict the loss data and the Economist source's information about the order to "take care of themselves" for Chechens in Akhmat.