UFC’s Chimaev celebrates Kadyrov as dictator forcibly conscripts Chechens for Ukraine war

The UFC star continues to show support for the Chechen dictator despite ongoing human rights abuses and war crimes in Ukraine.

As Ramzan Kadyrov forcibly conscripts Chechen men to take part in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Khamzat Chimaev is busy promoting the dictator and his henchmen on social media.

The UFC star posted a picture of a smiling Kadyrov playing with his pet dog on Instagram stories. The picture was the latest in a series of photos that Chimaev posted to celebrate the Chechen dictator.

Chimaev also posted a photo of Adam Delimkhanov, Kadyrov’s right-hand man, along with a slogan of praise. Delimkhanov currently serves as Kadyrov’s leading commander in Ukraine, responsible for the Chechen military units in the Donbas, as well as the siege of Mariupol in March 2022.

The UFC fighter’s posts come in the wake of reports that Kadyrov is forcibly conscripting Chechen men and sending them off as “volunteer” battalions to the frontlines in Ukraine.

“We have a lot of messages about Chechens being forcibly sent to [fight in] the war,” Ibragim Yangulbayev, leader of regional opposition movement 1ADAT, told The Moscow Times. “People imprisoned on fabricated criminal charges are offered the chance to sign a contract with the armed forces. The police promise to release them if they agree.”

Since his rise to power in 2007, Kadyrov has ruled the semi-autonomous republic of Chechnya like his personal fiefdom. He is routinely accused of orchestrating human rights abuses including assassinations, abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and purges targeting the local LGBTQ+ community.

Despite Kadyrov’s harrowing abuses, which led to him facing sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department, Chimaev continues to maintain friendly ties with the dictator. He regularly visits Kadyrov’s sanctioned Akhmat MMA fight club for various public appearances, training seminars and photo-ops with Kadyrov and his family. He also continues to share clips Kadyrov, along with captions such as “May Allah protect our Chief.”

1ADAT has since taken a public stance against Chimaev, referring to him as a “mindless slave” for his continued ties to Kadyrov.

“Know your place, Kadyrov’s puppy,” read a recent post on the 1ADAT Telegram channel ahead of Chimaev’s fight at UFC 279.