Ramzan Kadyrov has been nominated as a candidate for the upcoming election for head of Chechnya by the ruling United Russia party. The decision was made unanimously at a conference of the party's regional branch in Grozny, according to state news agency TASS.
Kadyrov said he is "not happy" with the decision. "To be honest, I'm not happy that I'm going to the elections. If you ask me, I would have chosen another candidate, because it's a big responsibility, I know how difficult this task is," he said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
According to Kadyrov, he is going to the elections "forcedly" but is confident that the people will support him. "If the people support me, I am ready to serve the people," he added.
Kadyrov has led Chechnya since 2007 — 19 years. In the previous election for head of the republic in 2021, he received 99.7% of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC).
In early July, for the first time since 2007, Kadyrov was not included in United Russia's list of candidates from Chechnya for the State Duma elections. He also missed the party's pre-election congress in Moscow.
In recent years, several media outlets and Telegram channels have reported on Kadyrov's health problems. In April 2024, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported, citing sources, that the Chechen leader was diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis in 2019. According to the outlet, he subsequently began regular treatment and periodically disappeared from public view. In late 2025, Kadyrov was allegedly rushed to the Central Clinical Hospital, after which he did not appear in public for some time, and then emerged with a cane, calling reports of his hospitalization "gossip."