Russian President Vladimir Putin flew into Chechnya on Tuesday for his first visit to the North Caucasus region since 2011, where he met with the republic’s leader and longtime Kremlin ally, Ramzan Kadyrov.
The visit underscores the continued importance of the Chechen strongman in Putin’s political landscape, as Kadyrov has played a key role in supporting Russia’s military efforts, including the ongoing offensive in Ukraine.
Footage shared by RIA Novosti news agency and Kadyrov himself on Telegram captured the moment when Putin alighted from his helicopter in Chechnya’s capital city, Grozny.
The Russian president was greeted warmly by Kadyrov and other local officials, shaking hands before embracing the Chechen leader. The pair then entered a limousine together, setting the stage for what Kadyrov described as a “packed program” of events.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich, despite the hard working day, is full of energy and ready to visit several places in Chechnya,” Kadyrov wrote on Telegram, emphasizing the president’s active schedule during his visit.
Earlier in the day, Putin had visited other regions in the North Caucasus, including Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia.
In North Ossetia, he paid a visit to the Beslan school, the site of a tragic siege in 2004, where more than 330 people, many of them children, lost their lives at the hands of Chechen rebels.
At the memorial, Putin knelt in remembrance of the victims and met with the mothers who had lost their children in the attack.
In his remarks, he drew a parallel between the attackers in Beslan and Ukrainians currently involved in an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, a comparison that underscores the Kremlin’s framing of its conflict in Ukraine.
Putin’s visit to Chechnya holds particular significance, as the region has shaped his political identity. It was in 1999, during his tenure as prime minister, that Putin launched the second Chechen war, a campaign that crushed the separatist insurgency and solidified his reputation as a strongman leader.
This war played a pivotal role in boosting his popularity among many Russians, setting the stage for his long-standing leadership.
Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya with an iron fist since 2007, has remained a staunch Putin loyalist throughout his tenure. He was appointed by Putin after the assassination of his father, Akhmat Kadyrov, in a bomb attack at a stadium in 2004.
Under Ramzan Kadyrov’s leadership, Chechnya has seen a massive reconstruction effort, particularly in Grozny, but his rule has also been marked by the suppression of dissent and the quashing of a lingering Islamist rebellion in the region.
During his visit on Tuesday, Putin paid tribute to Akhmat Kadyrov, laying flowers at his grave as part of the ceremonial aspect of his trip, according to Interfax news agency.
The visit comes after Putin had earlier signaled his intention to return to Chechnya on Kadyrov’s invitation. In May, he stated, “I will do everything possible for this trip to take place,” highlighting the personal and political connection between the two leaders.
For Kadyrov, the visit is a clear affirmation of his continued influence and support from the Kremlin, as he remains a key figure in Russia’s efforts both domestically and abroad.