17-Year-Old Adam Kadyrov Takes Charge of Chechnyas Interior Ministry Amid Political Tensions

The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has appointed his 17-year-old son, Adam, as the «curator» of the local branch of Russia’s Interior Ministry, as reported by state media in Chechnya on Monday.

In footage broadcasted by Vesti Chechnya, Adam Kadyrov, who celebrated his 17th birthday in November, can be seen leading a meeting of the Interior Ministry alongside Chechen Interior Minister Aslan Iraskhanov and various uniformed police officers.

Adam Kadyrov, who has been awarded at least 16 state honors, was also filmed appointing new police heads and presenting state awards.

Since 2023, Adam has taken on the role of his father’s chief bodyguard and an observer with a rifle battalion within the Russian Defense Ministry. Earlier in the year, when he was just 15, he was recorded attacking a Russian teenager who was imprisoned for allegedly desecrating a Quran.

His recent appointment comes in the wake of a report from the investigative journalist group IStories, which noted that ties between his father and President Vladimir Putin have become increasingly strained. Allegations suggest that the Kremlin has grown wary of Ramzan Kadyrov after reports of his undisclosed meetings with officials from the Middle East.

Ramzan Kadyrov, now 48, has maintained a degree of autonomy in governing Chechnya since 2007 in return for his loyalty to the Kremlin.

IStories has also indicated that he is suspected of engaging in «unauthorized» discussions regarding the safety of his family and assets, potentially in anticipation of stepping down due to concerns about his health.