As the international community continues to harden its tone and strengthen its support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, Moscow can count on certain allies.
Among them, Belarus, but also Chechnya.
The strong man of this small Caucasian Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, has decided to send troops to Ukraine to help the Russian army.
The announcement was made on Friday in Chechnya's capital, Grozny.
"Ramzan Kadyrov put on a big show, with thousands of fighters," explains Wassim Nasr.
"I take this opportunity to advise President Zelensky, until he is the former President of Ukraine, to call our President, Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologize to him." , he said in particular at the podium, according to videos and comments reported by several international media.
"Хочу дать совет пока ещё действующему президенту Зеленскому, пока он не стал экс-президентом Украины, чтобы он позвонил скорее нашему президенту, верховному главнокомандующему Владимиру Владимировичу Путину и попросил извинений" - заявил Рамзан Кадыров.
Video: РБК pic.twitter.com/UWR0Ga34Rn
— Новая Газета (@novaya_gazeta) February 25, 2022
A psychological role?
Four days later, soldiers were indeed deployed on Ukrainian territory.
"They themselves released images of their deployment," explains Wassim Nasr.
"According to the videos released, they are mainly present in the north of the country, in the Pripyat exclusion zone where the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is located, and in the north of Crimea."
>> To read also: "Russian Federation: 30 years of existence and a number of wars"
"Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation. Chechen fighters therefore participate in the war effort in their country by serving as auxiliaries to the Russian army", analyzes Wassim Nasr, who recalls that Chechen forces had already participated in several Russian military operations, notably in Syria, in the form of military police.
If "their exact military role is currently unknown", these men, known to commit abuses in their country "could play a psychological role in the conflict", he believes.
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