Ramzan Kadyrov together with some of his men in 2006.

Kadyrovtsy (Russian: Кадыровцы, Kadyrovcy, literally "Kadyrov's followers") also Kadyrovites, is a term used by the population of Chechnya, as well as members of the groups themselves, for former members of the paramilitary units of the former President of the Chechen Republic Akhmad Kadyrov, headed by his son and the current President Ramzan Kadyrov. The Chechen Republic (IPA: ; Russian: , Chechenskaya Respublika; Chechen: , Noxçiyn Respublika), or, informally, Chechnya (; Russian: ; Chechen: , Noxçiyçö), sometimes referred to as Ichkeria, Chechnia, Chechenia or Noxçiyn, is a federal subject of Russia. ... Paramilitary designates forces whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force, but which are not regarded as having the same status. ... The President of the Chechen Republic, known commonly as the President of Chechnya, is the highest office within the Government of Chechnya. ... Akhmad Abdulkhamidovich Kadyrov (Chechen: Ахмат Абдулхамидович Кадыров) (August 23, 1951 – May 9, 2004) was the Chief Mufti of Chechnya in the 1990s and later the President of the Chechen Republic from October 5 2003 (acting as head of administration from July 2000) to his death. ... Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov (Russian: Рамзан Ахмадович Кадыров) (born 5 October 1976, Tsentoroi, Chechnya) is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel. ...

History and organisation

Beginnings

The Kadyrovtsy, thousands of armed men personally devoted to the Kadyrov clan and including many former rebels from the Chechen wars, were initially created as a personal security guard (later Presidential Security Service) of the Moscow-appointed head of the Chechen administration, Akhmad Kadyrov, without any formal legal status, and gradually grew into a powerful militia formation commanded from the beginning by his son Ramzan Kadyrov. Gradually, its sub-units were legalized to become parts of different structures of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). The actual security detail of Akhmad Kadyrov was headed by Movladi Baisarov (later associated with the FSB and in 2006 killed by the Ramzan's men in Moscow). There have been two Chechen Wars: First Chechen War, 1994–1996 Second Chechen War, 1999–continues Category: ... A security officer guards a construction site in the Peoples Republic of China. ... Akhmad Abdulkhamidovich Kadyrov (Chechen: Ахмат Абдулхамидович Кадыров) (August 23, 1951 – May 9, 2004) was the Chief Mufti of Chechnya in the 1990s and later the President of the Chechen Republic from October 5 2003 (acting as head of administration from July 2000) to his death. ... In law legal status refers to the concept of individuals having a particular place in society, relative to the law, as it determines the laws which affect them. ... Lebanese Kataeb militia The term Militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency, law enforcement, or paramilitary service, and those engaged in such activity, without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. ... The Interior Minister is a member of a Cabinet in a Government. ... The acronym MVD can stand for: Mitral valve disease, or Mitral regurgitation. ... Movladi Baisarov was a Chechen warlord and former FSB special-task unit commander who was killed in Moscow on November 18, 2006. ... For other uses, see FSB. Minor emblem of FSB The FSB (Federal Security Service) (Russian: ФСБ, Федера́льная слу́жба безопа́сности; Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti) is a domestic state security agency of the Russian Federation and the main successor of the Soviet Cheka, NKVD, and KGB. Its headquarters are in Lubyanka Square, Moscow. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ...

Expansion

In May 2003, Kadyrovs established effective control over the Chechen OMON, earlier considered one of strongholds of the anti-Kadyrov opposition in the power structures, and now run by his man Ruslan Alkhanov (a rebel commander amnestied just year before, who later became the Chechnya's Interior Minister). In October 2003, Akhmad Kadyrov became the President of the Chechen Republic; by this time his Security Service (SB) was already the largest security body consisting of the Chechens, numbering 3,000 according to Kadyrov himself. According to the next next President Alu Alkhanov, in 2005 this figure has grown up to 7,000 armed men. Backbone of this force was made of a former separatist fighters (more than 70% in 2004). Many of them joined Ramzan due to the pressure upon their relatives, in particular, in the form of hostage taking (including the former rebel Minister of Defence Magomed Khambiyev).^[1] 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - → A timeline of events in the news for May, 2003. ... The OMON insignia OMON (Russian: Отряд милиции особого назначения; Otryad Militsii Osobogo Naznacheniya, Special Purpose Detachment of Militsiya) is a generic name for the system of special units of militsiya (state police) within the Russian and earlier the Soviet, Ministerstvo Vnutrennih Del (MVD; Ministry of Internal Affairs). ... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for October, 2003. ... Alu Dadashevich Alkhanov was the president of Russias Chechen Republic. ... For other uses, see Hostage (disambiguation). ...

Reorganization

After Akhmad Kadyrov was killed in a blast in May 2004, the Security Service was formally liquidated and most of the rest of its units integrated into the system of Russian law enforcement agencies and security authorities. In the Interior Ministry, two units: the "Akhmad Kadyrov" Second Road Patrol Regiment of the Police (PPSM-2, Kadyrov Regiment) and the Oil Regiment (Neftepolk, headed by the Kadyrov's relative Adam Demilkhanov) were formed of Kadyrovtsy gunmen, by 2005 comprising around 1,500 to 2,000 men.^[2][3][4] By 2006, the total strength of the Kadyrovites, which by then included the PPSM-2, the Oil Regiment, and so-called Anti-Terrorist Centers (ATCs, then commanded by Muslim Ilyasov), was not disclosed, but Memorial's estimations spoke of around 5,000 people.^[5] Some of the gunmen are completely legalized into structures of the Chechen government's power structures, while others, estimated at at least 1,800, continued to exist in the form of paramilitary formations (such as "Kadyrov's Spetsnaz").^[6] In 2006, the ATCs were closed down, and some of the members were transferred to the newly-formed battalions Sever (South, led by Ilyasov and composed of an estimated 500 men) and Yug (North, led by Alimbek Delimkhanov and composed of an estimated 700 men). 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Deaths in May • 28 Gerald Anthony • 27 Umberto Agnelli • 22 Richard Biggs • 20 Len Murray • 17 Tony Randall • 17 Ezzedine Salim • 9 Alan King • 9 Akhmad Kadyrov • 8(?) Nick Berg • 7 Waldemar Milewicz Other recent deaths Ongoing... Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) is a generic term used for local and state police, as well as federal agencies (such as the FBI, the BATF, DHS, Europol, Interpol, etc. ... Memorial (Russian: Мемориал) is an international historical and civil rights society that operates in a number of post-USSR states with the following missions stated in its charter: To promote mature civil society and democracy based on the rule of law and thus to prevent a return to totalitarianism; To assist... Russian special forces training For the Swedish EBM band, see Spetsnaz (band). ... Did you mean? decal Population transfer Manhattan Transfer List of Latin words with English derivatives Transfer (movie) Electron transfer Fare transfer A technique in propaganda This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols This article is about the military unit. ...

Chechen MVD

On April 29, 2006, Ramzan Kadyrov officially disbanded his security service, saying on television that "These structures are no longer existent, and those calling themselves Kadyrovites are impostors and must be punished in accordance with the law. Two battalions of Interior Ministry troops, codenamed North and South, have been formed from these fighters; they have their own commanders and generals, and from now on have nothing to do with Kadyrov." Kadyrov's men were rearmed and given heavy equipment, such as armoured personnel carriers, they previously did not posses. As of 2008, Ramzan Kadyrov (as the new President of the Chechen Republic, after he forced Alkhanov to resign) is now controlling all of the Chechen Interior Ministry forces of more than 20,000 men, with the top seats of his government occupied by the former commanders of his militia. is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. ...

Accusations of crimes and human rights abuses

By human rights groups

A significant number of members of these groups are people with a criminal past, including people who had committed criminal offences in the period between wars. Particularly feared are the PPSM-2, named after Akhmad Kadyrov, and the Oil Regiment. Officially PPSM-2 is responsible for security on the streets and the Oil Regiment for the security of industrial sites. In reality both structures are involved in so-called "anti-terrorist operations," according to human rights groups accompanied by grave human rights violations.^[7][8] Human rights activists working in Chechnya have said the group has been heavily involved in kidnapping, torture and murder to cement Kadyrovs clan rule. For other uses, see Crime (disambiguation). ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... For other uses, see Torture (disambiguation). ...

By government officials

The Kadyrovtsy were accused of a mass kidnappings (occassionally, even the members of the Russian security forces had become the objects for kidnapping), tortures and summary executions, rapes, racketeering, participation in the illegal oil trade and other crimes even by a Chechen and Russian officials. In October 2003, the former Chechen official and presidential candidate Shamil Burayev, accused the Security Service of "hunting for the dissidents". In May 2004, Russian Presidential adviser Aslambek Aslakhanov acknowledged that the "security guard of the Kadyrovs" was operating outside of the law. In June 2005, Beslan Gantamirov, the former Chechen Prime Minister, accused the SB of "abductions and murder even of the FSB employees" and "gangsterism in the territory of all the North Caucasus". In April 2006, Mikhail Babich, another former Prime Minister of Chechnya and then Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the Russian State Duma on Defense, called the armed formations of Kadyrov "an absolutely illegal structure".^[1] Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ... For the Pearl Jam song, see Dissident (song). ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Deaths in May • 28 Gerald Anthony • 27 Umberto Agnelli • 22 Richard Biggs • 20 Len Murray • 17 Tony Randall • 17 Ezzedine Salim • 9 Alan King • 9 Akhmad Kadyrov • 8(?) Nick Berg • 7 Waldemar Milewicz Other recent deaths Ongoing... Aslambek Aslakhanov is the State Duma deputy from Chechnya, advisor and aide for the Russian president Vladimir Putin. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... For other uses, see Gangster (disambiguation). ... April 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Marcos Pontes, Brazils first astronaut, reaches the International Space Station. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...

Notable incidents

Conflicts with the forces of President Alkhanov

Main article: Armed incidents in the Alkhanov-Kadyrov power struggle

Killing of the separatist President Sadulayev

On 17 June 2006, a group of the Kadyrovites and the FSB officers killed the President of Ichkeria Sheikh Abdul-Halim, whose body was driven to Tsentoroi and presented to Ramzan Kadyrov. On April 28, 2006, security forces loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov fought a fist and then gun battle with the bodyguards of then the pro-Russian president Alu Alkhanov. ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of Presidents of the unrecognised Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, a separatist movement that controlled most of Chechnya from 1991 to 1999 (see First Chechen War, Second Chechen War). ...

Goretz unit mutiny

Main article: Gorets mutiny

Commanders

• Ramzan Kadyrov
• Artur Akhmadov
• Ruslan Alkhanov
• Movladi Baisarov
• Alimbek Delimkhanov
• Adam Demilkhanov
• Idris Gaibov
• Muslim Ilyasov
• Zelimkhan Kadyrov
• Ibragim Khultygov
• Alambek Yasayev

Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov (Russian: Рамзан Ахмадович Кадыров) (born 5 October 1976, Tsentoroi, Chechnya) is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel. ... Movladi Baisarov was a Chechen warlord and former FSB special-task unit commander who was killed in Moscow on November 18, 2006. ... Ibragim Khultygov is a former counter-intelligence chief for the separatist government in Chechnya [1] and one of the Kadyrovtsy commanders. ...

References and notes

See also

• Politics of Chechnya
• Second Chechen War

The Chechen Republic (Russian: Чеченская Республика; Chechen: Нохчийн Республика/Noxçiyn Respublika), also known as Chechnya (Russian: Чечня, Chechen: Нохчичьо/Noxçiyçö), Chechnia or Chechenia, is a constituent republic of the Russian Federation. ... Belligerents Russian Federation Chechen loyalists Chechen separatists Caucasian Front Foreign Mujahideen Commanders Vladimir Putin Gennady Troshev Alexander Baranov Valentin Korabelnikov Akhmad Kadyrov â€  Ramzan Kadyrov Dzabrail Yamadayev â€  Sulim Yamadayev Said-Magomed Kakiyev Aslan Maskhadov â€  Sheikh Abdul Halim â€  Dokka Umarov Ruslan Gelayev â€  Shamil Basayev â€  Akhmed Yevloyev Khattab â€  Abu al-Walid â€  Abu Hafs...

External links

Articles

• A headless monster, The Guardian, May 21 2004
• Ana Politkovskaya's last article: Punitive agreement by Anna Politkovskaya, Novaya Gazeta, September 28, 2006
• The Kadyrovtsy: Moscow's New Pawns in the South Caucasus?, The Jamestown Foundation, June 15, 2006
• New Chechen Army Threatens Moscow, AIA, 12.07.2006
• Ramzan's World, Newsweek, October 15, 2007
• Russia rearms former rebels to patrol Chechnya, Reuters/ReliefWeb, 19 March 2008

Video

• Russian TV on the Chechen MVD forces
• Revival of Brutality in Chechnya (The New York Times investigation)