Ramzan Kadyrov is a famous Russian politician, warlord, and the current Head of the Chechen Republic. His biography and untold facts explored.
Vladimir Putin’s Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has been a staunch supporter of the war in Ukraine.
But Kadyrov – the President of the Chechen Republic – has been facing an onslaught of health issues.
The former separatist rebel fought against the Russians in the First Chechen War, only to change sides and join Moscow in the second conflict in 1999.
Human rights groups say he personally oversees the torture of political opponents in secret dungeons and runs death squads known as “Kadyrovites”.
Here’s everything we know about him.
Profile Summary
| Celebrated Name: | Ramzan Kadyrov |
| Net Worth: | $100 million |
| Profession: | Politician |
| Full Real Name: | Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov |
| Date of Birth: | October 5, 1976 (age 46 years) |
| Birthplace: | Tsentaroy, Chechen-Ingush ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality: | Chechen |
Who is Ramzan Kadyrov?
Ramzan Kadyrov was born in Chechnya in 1976, and like many men of his generation has lived a life largely defined by two brutal wars that ripped through the republic in the 1990s and 2000s.
In the first Chechen war of 1994 to 1996, he fought alongside his father, Akhmad Kadyrov, for the Chechen separatist cause.
But in 1999, after Mr Putin launched the second Chechen war to restore Russian control over the break away republic, the Kadyrovs changed sides.
Akhmad was subsequently installed as the pro-Russian president of the republic.
When he was assassinated in 2004, the baton of pro-Russian leadership passed to his stocky son.
The tracksuit wearing bodybuilder was not an obvious politician after being backed by Putin, he quickly become one of the most powerful men in Russia.
But as he has grown more powerful, he has become an increasingly divisive figure in Russian politics.
To supporters, he is a Russian patriot who has brought peace to a war ravaged region, presided over unprecedented post-war recovery and reconstruction.
To his enemies he is a turn-coat rebel who has turned Chechnya into his personal fiefdom where Russian law doesn’t apply, and who has used terror and murder to crush not only the separatist Islamist insurgency, but political rivals, human rights activists, and domestic dissenters.
What does Ramzan Kadyrov do now?
Ramzan continues to lead an interesting life and with seemingly unlimited resources.
The leader has surrounded himself with showbiz pals and bizarre exotic pets, including a lion and a rare endangered tiger.
He is a keen boxer who counts Mike Tyson and hardman actor Steven Seagal among his friends, and he has a habit of handing out wads of £20 notes among his subjects.
In recent years, however, his health has been under speculation, even as he’s appeared with Putin to voice support for the war in Ukraine.
The warlord even claimed he was sending his three sons to fight in Ukraine, and shared a bizarre video showing the three boys practising firing weapons.
He is also the founder of the Akhmat Fight Club, which is named after his father.
Is Ramzan Kadyrov married?
Ramzan Kadyrov is rumored to have been married three times. The names of his wives are Medni Musaevna Kadyrova (m. 1996), Fatima Khazuyeva, and Aminat Akhmadova.
At age 20, he tied the knot with his first wife, Medni Kadyrova. The pair walked down the aisle in 1996. Medni is Russian fashion designer by profession.
With his second spouse, Fatima, the warlord reportedly married her in 2021. Fatima and Ramzan reportedly met when she was only 14 years old, in a 2006 beauty pageant.
His third wife, Aminat is a singer and dancer and the pair.
How many children does Ramzan Kadyrov have?
Ramzan Kadyrov is reportedly a father of dozens of children. He is currently assumed to have around 14 kids.
By reports, he shares 12 of his kids with his first spouse, Medni. They have 6 sons (which two of them were adopted), and 6 daughters.
Also, with his rumored third wife, he shares two children with her.
Currently, the known names of his kids are Aishat Kadyrova, Zelimkhan Kadyrov, Tabarik Kadyrova, Khutmat Kadyrova, Ahmad Kadyrov, and Khadizhat Kadyrova.
How is Ramzan Kadyrov doing?
The current status of Ramzan remains unknown, but rumours have swirled since early 2022 about the warlord’s health.
In early 2023, he was forced to deny he had any health issues, and posted on social media that he was “healthy and full of energy.”
In September 2023, a Ukrainian spokesperson revealed the strongman’s “existing diseases” had worsened and he was reportedly in a coma.
How old is Ramzan Kadyrov?
Ramzan Kadyrov is currently 46 years old and was born on October 5, 1976m in Tsentaroy, Checheno-Ingush ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Akhmat-Yurt, Chechnya, Russia).
His real name is Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov. In Chechen society, Ramzan Kadyrov is widely known under the nickname «Lyulya». There is also a version that this is Kadyrov’s childhood nickname.
He has Russia as his nationality.
Who are Ramzan Kadyrov’s parents?
The leader of war group was born to parents Akhmad Abdulkhamidovich Kadyrov (father) and Ayman Kadyrova (mother).
His father was the former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov who was assassinated in 2004.
His dad was an imam whom he stroved to gain his respect and once claimed he always emulated him.
During the First Chechen War, together with his father, he fought against Russian armed forces. After the war, Ramzan was the personal driver and bodyguard of his father Akhmad, who became the separatist mufti of Chechnya.
The Kadyrovite militia was formed during the First Chechen War, when Akhmad Kadyrov declared jihad against Russia. The family defected to the Russian side at the beginning of the Second Chechen War in 1999. Since then, Kadyrov led his militia with support from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), including the provision of service ID cards, becoming the head of the Chechen Presidential Security Service. The militia later became known as the Kadyrovites.
Does Ramzan Kadyrov have any siblings?
Ramzan Kadyrov is not an only child to his parents. He has three siblings: a brother and two sisters. Their names are Adam Zelimkhan, Zargan and Zulay.
His brother Zelimkhan was born in 1974 but died on 31 May 2004.
His elder sisters are Zargan (born 1971) and Zulay (born 1972).
What is Ramzan Kadyrov’s height?
Ramzan Kadyrov has a normal body measurement of a man. He stands at a height of 5 ft 6 in / 168 cm or 1.74 m.
He weighs around 165 lb / 75 kg.
What school did Ramzan Kadyrov attend?
In 2004, the same year he was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister, Kadyrov earned a law degree from the Makhachkala Institute of Business and Law. A couple years later, he obtained a Candidate of Sciences degree in economics from Dagestan State Technical University. In 2015, Kadyrov earned a Doctor of Sciences degree in economics from Dagestan State University.
What is Ramzan Kadyrov’s net worth?
Ramzan Kadyrov is one of the wealthies political figures in Russia. He reportedly has a current net worth of $100 million with some sources suggesting his fortune can be up to $10 billion.
Ramzan Kadyrov’s official annual salary is a bit under 5 million roubles. That’s equal to around $80,000 per year.
He accrued his fortune from his primary career as a politician as well as other endeavors.
According to an investigative report published by OCCRP.org, Ramzan’s second wife Fatima owns three apartments in Moscow worth a total of $5 million.
Per Celebrity Net Worth, he owns several luxury cars.Ramzan is notable for his impressive collection of cars. His collection includes a $2 million Lamborghini Reventón, one of only 20 produced.