Apti Alaudinov
Apti Alaudinov | |
|---|---|
| Апти Аронович Алаудинов | |
 Apti Alaudinov | |
Apti Alaudinov (Russian: Апти Аронович Алаудинов) is a high-ranking member of the 141st Motorized Regiment of the National Guard of Russia.
Career[edit]
Deputy Interior Minister[edit]
A man who criticised local officials and apparently Kadyrov in a YouTube appeal to the Russian President became a target of many threats due to which he had to flee to the neighboring republic of Dagestan. In May 2016, his house was burnt down by a group of masked men and his family was dragged out, put in a car and were thrown under a bridge. His wife also stated that they threatened the other residents with burning down their houses as well if they reported about the matter to anyone. Later, the Chechen police cordoned off his village in order to hunt him down. Kadyrov's spokesman denied these reports were true.[1][2] The complainant later publicly apologised to Kadyrov and accused the media of distorting his remarks in his video complaint.[3] He again fled to Dagestan in November 2016. According to human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina, he had to flee after Alaudinov, who was then Chechnya's Deputy Interior Minister, personally threatened to kill him.[4][5]
Commander of 141st[edit]
On 26 February 2022, it was reported that General Magomed Tushayev of the 141st had been destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces along with most of his troops in the Battle of Hostomel.[6] On 16 March, Tushayev announced that he was still alive.[7][8]
On 17 March 2022 Ramzan Kadyrov announced that he was sending 1,000 more troops to fight in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine; they would be led by Alaudinov.[6]
In February 2023 Alaudinov was reportedly poisoned by a letter laced with toxin.[9][10]
In June 2023 Alaudinov was noted as the commander of the 141st.[11]
In April 2024 the Danish and Swedish governments published a report which listed Alaudinov as one of four leaders of the Chechens.[12]
In May 2024 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty cited Russian opposition sources as stating that Alaudinov had gained a positive reputation within the Russian establishment after helping integrate many former Wagner Group members into the 141st Motorized Regiment after their Wagner Group rebellion in Rostov-on-Don, and was favored as a successor to Kadyrov amid rumors about his ill health.[13]
In June 2024 Alaudinov was deployed to the contested Kharkiv oblast.[14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Chechen leader 'has 1,000 wedding guests questioned after losing phone'". The Moscow Times. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Police 'surround' entire village in Chechnya in hunt for man who dared to complain about local officials". The Telegraph. 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Man Whose House Was Torched Apologizes for Criticism of Kadyrov". The Moscow Times. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Missing Chechen Whistle-Blower Flees Chechnya". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ Tom Parfitt (12 November 2016). "Chechen who sought help from Putin flees village". The Times. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ a b Mazurenko, Alona (17 March 2022). "Kadyrov announces that he is sending another 1,000 troops to Ukraine". Ukrainska Pravda.
- ^ Ling, Justin (26 February 2022). "Russia Tries to Terrorize Ukraine with Images of Chechen Soldiers". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ Магомед Тушаев: "Я тот, кого "трусливые зайцы" в интернете назвали мертвым" (+видео) [Magomed Tushaev: “I am the one whom the “cowardly hares” on the Internet called dead” (+ video)]. Chechnya Today (in Russian). 16 March 2022.
- ^ Ankel, Sophia (13 February 2023). "A Russian general was poisoned by a letter laced with an unknown toxin, close Putin ally says". Business Insider. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ "Chechen commander Apti Alaudinov returns to special operation zone in Ukraine after being poisoned". Caucasian Knot. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Aleksandrov, Georgy (28 June 2023). "Akhmat to the rescue: How do Chechen special forces operate? Kadyrov's Akhmat battalion was the only military unit in Russia that declared it was ready to quell Prigozhin's armed rebellion". Novaya Gazeta Europe.
- ^ The Danish Immigration Service; The Swedish Migration Agency (April 2024). Russia: Recruitment of Chechens to the War in Ukraine (PDF) (Report). COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) FFM REPORT. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2024.
- ^ Coalson, Robert (23 May 2024). "Amid Reports Kadyrov Is Ill, Kremlin Mulls What's Next For Chechnya". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ "Chechen Special Forces Deployed in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Commander Says". The Moscow Times. 3 June 2024.