Tumso Abdurachmanov is one of the most well-known critics of the Chechen regime and leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
In social media, he has over half a million followers and he lives as a political refugee in Sweden.
Two Russian citizens have been convicted of trying to assassinate him in his residence in Gävle in 2020, according to the court there were links to the Chechen state.
At the beginning of December last year, he disappeared, which several media reported on.
Claims about his death spread quickly around the world, including in the Swedish media.
24/7 protection
But Tumso Abdurachmanov is alive.
When Mission Review meets with him, for security reasons he cannot give any concrete details about what happened to him during the months he was away.
- It goes up and down and there was a peak for maybe a week or so when the authorities took my safety very seriously.
I had protection 24 hours a day.
His silence about what happened is also about protecting his relatives who are under pressure in Chechnya.
- When you understand that the fates of your relatives depend on your actions, and that criminals are behind it and convince my relatives that the problems will disappear if I stop.
It is a difficult situation.
Revealed secret intelligence report
After the 2020 assassination attempt, Mission review was able to reveal a secret intelligence report placing responsibility on Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attack on Tumso Abdurachmanov.
The Kremlin denied any involvement in an email to SVT.
Tumso Abdurachmanov says he has no plans to stop criticizing Kadyrov.
He believes that the great attention surrounding his disappearance has caused his following to grow.
- The buzz around my persona has strengthened, and to my advantage, it has increased interest in my business.