A fighter of the Chechen regiment "North-Akhmat" Tamirlan Khamidov, who returned to Russia after the Ukrainian captivity, publicly apologized to the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, and the Chechens fighting in Ukraine. The video, which recorded his speech, partially delivered in the Chechen language, was published on Kadyrov's official Telegram channel. Its translation is published by Kavkaz.Realii.
In it, Khamidov refers to the head of Chechnya as the “father of the people,” according to the title given to Kadyrov in February 2023. He says that surrender cannot be justified by a lack of ammunition and promises to go to the front again. Khamidov also emphasizes the readiness of former prisoners to “give up their lives” in the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine.
In addition to Khamidov, four more Kadyrovites returned to Grozny from captivity in mid-April. Then it was reported that they were captured, being shell-shocked on December 14, 2022. Chairman of the Chechen Parliament Magomed Daudov noted that these people "set an example of courage and loyalty to the motherland."
However, Ramzan Kadyrov refused to meet with them, accused them of insufficient preparation and doubted that, by surrendering, they were not trying to “avoid battle” in this way.
He also threatened to persecute the head of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of the annexed Crimea, Ayder Rustemov. The mufti held a conversation with the prisoners, among whom were the five Kadyrovites mentioned above. He will make a speech about the fact that Russia's war against Ukraine is criminal and cannot be considered "holy" (that is, jihad). A video of Rustemov's communication with the prisoners was published in Vladimir Zolkin's channel.
Videos of apologies that various people bring to Ramzan Kadyrov for "misconduct" towards him often appear on social networks. The citizens appearing in the videos do not talk about coercion, but it is difficult to explain this with something else.