Among the leaders of Russia’s 85 regions, Ramzan Kadyrov stands out as a figure of special authority. He portrays himself as president Vladimir Putin’s most loyal soldier, commands a significant force of regular military, national guard, special police, and other units, plays an active role in resolving business conflicts in Russia, and even conducts something of a foreign policy of his own.

None of this is imaginable for a regular governor. The activities and public speech of a typical Russian governor are tightly regulated, and their stints as heads of regions are viewed by the Kremlin as a test of loyalty and competence: Succeed and they may go on to become federal government officials; fail, and they end up in prison. Kadyrov, however, is in a class by himself. Appointed as the head of the Chechen Republic in 2007, Kadyrov is now the longest-serving regional leader in Russia.

Chechnya’s Exceptional Status

Chechnya, a North Caucasus region of about 1.5 million people, has been described by some in Russia as a “Chechen Khanate.” Despite its relatively small population, Chechnya has played an outsized role in Russia’s contemporary history. It was through “restoring constitutional order” in this region that Vladimir Putin solidified his national standing during his first presidential campaign, establishing himself as the pacifier of Chechnya, the Caucasus, and the “gatherer of Russian lands.”

The historical trajectory of Russian-Chechen relations spans several centuries, but it was in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that these relations reached a critical turning point for the Russian state. The Second Chechen War, launched in 1999, was not merely a Russian military operation but also a symbolic act of restoring statehood after the chaos of the 1990s. As political analyst Lilia Shevtsova contends, the “Chechen card” legitimized Putin’s doctrine of order and stability.

At the same time, the system Ramzan Kadyrov established in Chechnya in the war’s aftermath placed Putin in an uncomfortable position. Chechnya’s status within Russia — specifically, Kadyrov’s Chechnya — has provoked intense political debate, ranging from human rights concerns to historical animosities between Chechens and Russians. However, these discussions have now been largely silenced. The Kremlin tolerates a great deal from Kadyrov, fearing that any future attempt at secession would undermine the very essence of the Russian state, which, as an empire, is required to maintain diverse territories. Criticism of Kadyrov thus means criticizing the current Russian order.

From Battlefield to Symbol of Russian Statehood

The “Chechenization” of a conflict, as described by the late political scientist and scholar of Islam Alexey Malashenko, requires delegating the fight against separatism and extremism to pro-Russian local forces. This strategy in Chechnya significantly reduced federal military losses—but it also created a laboratory of autocracy in Russia. Putin granted Kadyrov carte blanche for internal governance, demanding only outward loyalty to Putin (rather than the Kremlin) and adherence to certain formal aspects of Russian statehood. Kadyrov, in turn, gained command of a private army that operates outside the official structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and answers directly to him. According to journalists, the number of these so-called “Kadyrovtsy” may reach several thousand, making them one of the largest regional paramilitary forces in the post-Soviet space.

The Akhmat Kadyrov Public Foundation collects mandatory contributions from Chechen residents and is managed by Kadyrov’s mother, Aimani. While the foundation claims to be funded by private donations and is publicly portrayed as providing housing for low-income families and organizing mass weddings, investigative reports (such as a 2015 Kommersant investigation) reveal that billions of rubles flow through it. These funds include mandatory salary deductions of up to 10% from state employees. Transparency International has even listed the foundation in its global corruption index.

The Machinery of Patronage

Chechnya’s economic model is a unique combination of large-scale federal subsidies and a quasi-feudal system of internal resource distribution. Economists estimate that between 2001 and 2020, Moscow allocated hundreds of billions of rubles for Chechnya’s reconstruction and development, yet the republic remains one of the most financially dependent regions in Russia.

Currently, Kadyrov is replacing officials from his clan with his children, preparing the republic for a smooth power transition. Having inherited power from his father, he now positions his children to take over. His eldest son, Akhmat Kadyrov Jr., was appointed head of the republic’s security department at just 16 years old and later became the overseer of the Sheikh Mansur Battalion. His daughter, Aishat Kadyrova, was appointed Deputy Minister of Culture of Chechnya in 2020, promoted to Minister of Culture in 2021, and then, in 2023, became Deputy Prime Minister overseeing the social sector. These appointments indicate the emergence of a dynastic governance model, an unprecedented phenomenon in modern Russia.

All human rights organizations and independent activists have been expelled from the republic. Figures such as lawyer and human rights advocate Igor Kalyapin, investigative journalist Elena Milashina (a successor to the assassinated Anna Politkovskaya), and activist Svetlana Gannushkina, who once attended political trials in Chechnya, have been forced to leave. The January 2024 assault on Milashina at Grozny airport highlighted the “hostile environment for journalists."

Chechen Governance Patterns In Russia Proper

Cultural institutions that do not align with “traditional Chechen values” have been shut down. Chechnya periodically revises its already highly ideological treatment of its history, hinting at potential independence. This messaging gets conveyed through public statements by officials and a consistent effort to construct a distinct Chechen identity — one that outwardly expressed loyalty to Russia while simultaneously emphasizing the nation’s uniqueness and historical path.

In other words, should Putin leave the political scene, the status of Chechnya within Russia could again become a matter of heated debate. Political scientist Malashenko has previously described this dynamic as the “Chechenization of Russia.” The governance model first tested in Chechnya — public intimidation, forced apologies, suppression or assassination of activists, show trials, human rights violations, and autocratic rule under a single “pachcha” (a historically Chechen term for Russian tsars) — has gradually spread across Russia, becoming a blueprint for the entire country. These tactics now shape Russia’s broader political culture. The centralization of power, personality cults, suppression of opposition, and economic monopolization by loyalists was first established in Chechnya before being implemented nationwide.

The Kremlin isn’t just adopting Chechen internal policies. Kadyrov’s territorial claims against neighboring Ingushetia under the pretext of “historical justice” and his denial of Ingush’s national identity strongly echo in Russia’s justifications for its war of aggression against Ukraine. The 2018 Chechnya-Ingushetia border agreement triggered mass protests in Ingushetia and a severe crackdown, including the imprisonment of opposition leaders.

Chechnya, the victim of two brutal wars suppressing its drive for indepence from Moscow,  evolved into a blueprint for how Putin now rules Russia itself. However, the stability of this model is uncertain. A political system based on personal loyalty rather than institutions is inherently unstable during leadership transitions. The Chechen experiment highlights both the potential and the limitations of authoritarian governance in contemporary Russia.

The opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the Kennan Institute.