Akhmed Dudayev, Minister of National Policy, External Relations, Press, and Information of the Chechen Republic, has denied rumors of the illness and hospitalization of regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov. To debunk the disinformation, the official published a video demonstrating the politician's physical fitness.

"December 29, 2025 — held a meeting to summarize the current year; December 31, 2025 — congratulated residents on the New Year and recorded a video with his comrades afterward; January 1, 2026 — sent new equipment to the SVO zone; January 1, 2026 — took a walk around Grozny. During the day, January 2, 2026 — performed Friday prayers. In the evening, January 2, 2026 — recorded this sarcastic video addressed to you," the video posted by Dudayev reads. He emphasized that the head of Chechnya makes several statements on his media outlets almost every day, but this hasn't stopped "Satanists" from spreading "further fakes" regarding his health.

Besides Dudayev, Ramzan Kadyrov's activity is confirmed by posts on the social media accounts of other members of his inner circle. Specifically, on December 24, when "sources" reported his hospitalization, he attended the 2025 ONDALLA National Sports Awards ceremony. In these pre-New Year days, the head of Chechnya was generally quite active, and it was all in plain sight: on the 29th, he held a meeting on the performance of the Chechen authorities in 2025, and on New Year's Eve, he took a stroll through Grozny.