Another group of fighters has departed from Grozny Airport for the "special military operation" zone. Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, announced this on September 16.

According to him, the servicemen underwent training at the Russian University of Special Forces prior to deployment. The group included residents of Chechnya as well as other Russian regions.

On September 9, Kadyrov stated that a total of over 76,400 fighters had been sent from Chechnya to the combat zone. Republic authorities regularly report the deployment of new groups from Grozny.

At the same time, human rights activists have repeatedly claimed that young men in Chechnya may be coerced into signing contracts with the Ministry of Defense. Notably, in July 2025, the administrator of a Telegram channel reporting on human rights violations in the republic told *Kavkazsky Uzel* (Caucasian Knot) that individuals detained for various offenses were allegedly offered the chance to sign a contract in exchange for the dropping of charges. He also claimed that pressure was exerted on young men through their relatives and community elders. In January of that same year, activists also reported to the outlet instances where volunteers arriving in Chechnya were allegedly detained and sent to the combat zone in place of local residents who had managed to avoid service.

Meanwhile, on August 11, *The Economist* reported that Kadyrov’s public support for the war might mask a very different stance regarding the deployment of Chechens to the front. According to the publication, a source close to Chechnya's leadership claims that the head of the republic—who calls himself "Putin's foot soldier"—avoids sending large numbers of the region's residents to fight in the war in Ukraine.

"Whatever Moscow's interests in Ukraine may be, we are infinitely far removed from them," the source told *The Economist*. He stated that Kadyrov "understands the situation perfectly" and does not wish to sacrifice Chechnya's population for the sake of the "Russian world."