Paramilitaries in Ukraine - How Ramzan Kadyrov and Chechen Mercenaries Shape the War
The leader of the Russian province of Chechnya is calling for the storming of Ukraine's capital Kyiv as part of Russia's so-called 'special military operation.' For years, soldiers from Chechnya have been fighting alongside pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Chechen separatists fought two wars against Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But Russia violently defeated the separatists. Now, Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation and is ruled by Ramzan Kadyrov - a loyal ally of President Vladimir Putin.
Putin has repeatedly called upon Kadyrov's paramilitary fighters to undertake risky missions in Ukraine. But some Chechen separatists have also joined the war - fighting against Russian forces.
