Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms

Ramzan Kadyrov.
(Image credit: Alexey Nikolsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's strongman leader, was flown to Moscow and hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, Russian state media reported Thursday.

Kadyrov is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who installed him as head of the Chechen Republic in 2007. The Tass news agency said Kadyrov has "suspected coronavirus" and is "currently under medical observation." Baza, an online news outlet, said Kadyrov arrived in Moscow on Wednesday after his flu-like symptoms became worse, and he has sustained lung damage.

Since he came to power, a cult of personality has developed around Kadyrov. He has been accused of human rights abuses, including torture and murder, and does not have a clear successor, The Guardian reports.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.