What is Known About the Akhmat Special Forces from the Chechen Republic?

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — What is known about the Akhmat Special Forces? A distinctive feature of this elite unit’s members, setting them apart from other units, is their beards.

According to Russian sources, the Akhmat Special Forces were established in 2009 when the President of the Chechen Republic, Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, supported the creation of the Akhmat Special Rapid Response Detachment.

 Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov is the father of the current Chechen Republic President, Ramzan Kadyrov.

The unit reportedly originated from the 141 Special Motorised Regiment of the Russian Ministry of Interior, including security members who served as guards for Akhmat Kadyrov.

As of now, the Akhmat Special Forces are said to have around 4,000 members, though claims also suggest there could be up to 13,000 members, with many from various regions of Russia, not just the Chechen Republic.

 

Western media often refer to the members of this unit as “Kadyrovites” or “Kadyrovtsy.”

As of 2023, the commander of the Akhmat Special Forces is Adam Delimkhanov.

Members of the Akhmat Special Forces have reportedly undergone tactical and firearms training at the Special Forces University in Gudermes, a town in Chechnya.

 International media have reported that the Akhmat Special Forces have also been involved in the conflict in Ukraine, with many members in the Kharkiv region supporting Russian military units in their efforts to capture the area from Ukraine.

The commander of the Akhmat Special Forces, Apty Alaudinov, stated that his troops have been on the front lines since the first day of the special mission in the Kharkiv region.

 

“We have never been in the second line. We have never been in the back of any party,” he said.

He added that his forces had successfully taken several positions in the Kharkiv region, thereby preventing the enemy from carrying out sabotage and terrorist activities in the area.

 “Our goal is to leave the areas where you are deployed and take control of whichever areas are supposed to be controlled and expand the communications network. All this has been done, our units have already carried out strike operations in the area,” he stated.

What is the record of the Akhmat Special Forces? In 2010, they assisted local authorities in destroying enemy formations in the Chechen Republic.

At the end of 2022, Chechen Republic President Ramzan Kadyrov announced the deployment of about 2,000 of his troops to a special military zone in Ukraine.

 

Shortly thereafter, Akhmat Special Forces took control of the city of Rubezhnoye in the Luhansk People’s Republic.

They were also deployed to Severodonetsk, located in the Luhansk People’s Republic, where they participated in efforts to liberate the city from Ukrainian control.

In September 2022, Akhmat Special Forces successfully repelled an attack by Ukrainian forces on the village of Berestovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

In 2023, they were also involved in missions in Donetsk and Artemovsk.

In addition to military missions in Ukraine, members of the Akhmat Special Forces have also been deployed to Aleppo in Syria. — DSA