The Kadyrovtsy: A Private Army in Chechnya and Beyond

The chapter introduces some of the literature on auxiliary military forces, paramilitary groups, and private military forces to locate the kadyrovtsy, Chechen security forces loyal to the Kadyrov family, as a semi-official armed actor operating with impunity due to patronal protection under the political conditions specific to post-Soviet Russia and the North Caucasus. Their historical origins and consolidation as the core element of the Chechen security forces is discussed in detail, presenting the underlying network, including institutional and personal links, that connect the kadyrovtsy. Subsequently, the chapter considers the nature of the links between the Kremlin and particular Russian military and security institutions on the one hand, and the Chechen security forces and more narrowly the kadyrovtsy on the other. The final part of the chapter deals with some of the external operations of the kadyrovtsy, beyond Chechnya, reflecting on how they have expanded further since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.