"Today, the regional branch of the United Russia party unanimously nominated me as a candidate for the post of head of the Chechen Republic," Ramzan Kadyrov announced on his Telegram channel.

Following the party conference, responding to journalists' questions, the head of Chechnya stated that he was "not happy" with his nomination. He added that if the choice were up to him, he would prefer another candidate, as the post of regional head carries great responsibility. Kadyrov emphasized that the republic "has a team in place, and it's working like a charm." Despite this, he added: "If the people support me, I'm ready to serve the people."

Later that evening, Kadyrov published a new post on his Telegram channel, accompanied by a joint photo with Magomed Daudov, Chairman of the Government of the Chechen Republic. "If my People have once again called me to serve, then my heart cannot help but respond to His will. For such will is the command of the Most High ALLAH, our Creator and Sustainer... For faithful and devoted service to the Chechen People is nothing other than the sacred Testament of my unforgettable Father, who, as a true Shahid, without hesitation, gave his life in the name of this very service... Sincere service to ALLAH and the People. ALLAH AKBAR!!!" the head of Chechnya wrote (verbatim).

Today's nomination marked the final stage of a campaign whose outcome had essentially been decided several months ago. Last week, the Council of Elders of Chechnya, as expected, unanimously called on Kadyrov to run again for the post of head of the republic. Even earlier, at the end of April, during a meeting in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin expressed hope that the people of Chechnya would once again place their trust in him. In response, Kadyrov stated, "We will not let you down. If you give the go-ahead, if the people elect me, then I will continue to serve you as a foot soldier and will never let you down." Putin replied, "I know, Ramzan. All the best to you, success!"

Last week, another circumstance caught the attention of observers. For the first time since 2007, Kadyrov did not top United Russia's regional list in the State Duma elections. Some Telegram channels and media outlets saw this as a possible signal of a change in his standing within the party.

However, earlier in an interview with the magazine "Novy Dosh," the Chechen political scientist urged against looking for a hidden political meaning in this. According to him, Kadyrov is currently focused on his own re-election campaign as head of Chechnya, and "he has no time for this routine stuff." Furthermore, the magazine's source noted, "Putin doesn't lead his own party either." Therefore, Kadyrov's absence from the top of United Russia's regional list, in his opinion, does not indicate any change in his political status. Today's party decision effectively confirmed this assessment.

Kadyrov has been making statements about his desire to leave his post for many years. At various times, he said he would like to resign, hand over leadership to another person, or simply take a break. During his live Q&A last year, the head of Chechnya again stated that he was "fed up with power." However, each time, he emphasized his readiness to continue his work if the Russian president so willed and the republic's residents supported him, calling himself Putin's "foot soldier."

Ramzan Kadyrov is the longest-serving leader of a Russian region. Following the death of his father, the former head of Chechnya, Akhmat Kadyrov, in May 2004, he became the de facto leader of the republic, although he formally held the position of Deputy Prime Minister under President Alu Alkhanov. In February 2007, Kadyrov was appointed acting head of the region, and in March of that year, he officially assumed the post. Since then, he has led Chechnya continuously.