Putin Visits Chechnya for the First Time Since 2011, Declares ‘We Are Unbeatable’
Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to Chechnya since 2011 on the evening of August 20, local time. During his visit to the Special Forces University (SFU) in Gudermes, Putin praised the volunteer trainees serving in the armed forces. “As long as we have people like you, we are absolutely unbeatable,” he stated at the military academy.
According to RT, Putin was accompanied by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who highlighted that SFU has trained over 47,000 soldiers, including volunteers, since the start of Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. “The next group of volunteers undergoing training at SFU will head to the special military operation zone in the coming days,” Kadyrov noted.
Putin inspected the training area in Gudermes, observed several classes, and had brief discussions with commanders, trainers, and volunteers. This was his first visit to SFU, which was established after his previous visit to Chechnya. In February, Kadyrov announced that the academy would be named in honor of President Putin.
Before traveling to Chechnya, Putin visited two other regions in the North Caucasus: Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia-Alania.
Putin appointed Kadyrov in 2007 at the age of 30, following the assassination of Kadyrov’s father, Akhmat Kadyrov, in a bombing at a stadium in 2004. Upon arriving in Chechnya, Putin paid his respects at Akhmat Kadyrov’s grave before participating in the day’s activities, as reported by Interfax.
