Chechnya’s Kadyrov Expanding His Military Training Network into Russian North, ‘Barents Observer’ Reports

Paul Goble
    Staunton, Jan. 8 – Ramzan Kadyrov has trained almost 50,000 Russian soldiers in his Spetsnaz University in Gudermes since that institution was established in 2013. Now, the Chechen leader is using graduates of that school to train Russian soldiers in other regions of the Russian Federation, including the Kola Peninsula, Atle Staalesen says.
    The editor of The Barents Observer says that the Gudermes school has helped Kadyrov solidify his influence with Vladimir Putin, who when he visited it said that it “plays an important role in the defense capacity of the whole country” (thebarentsobserver.com/news/kadyrovs-militant-network-is-expanding-into-the-russian-north/422803).
    The Kremlin leader likely welcomes Kadyrov’s expansion of his training network, but there may be a downside. The Chechen leader may be creating an alliance that could be used against the Kremlin in the case of a weakening at the center. At the very least, Kadyrov by this action reduces the ability of the center to rein him in.
    That Kadyrov may have such larger goals in mind is suggested by the fact that he now has a special representation office in Murmansk. Headed by Aslambek Asayev, it “closely cooperates with representatives of the security services” and “regularly meets with regional Governor Andrei Chibis,” Staalesen says.