Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrow arrived in Mariupol, Ukraine, with associates, as a temporary permit for scrap metal exports from occupied territories was uncovered, hinting at a strategic partnership with Donetsk separatist Denis Puszylin.
Ramzan Kadyrow in Mariupol. Scrap Metal Export Permit from Occupied Territories
Ramzan Kadyrow, the Chechen leader, traveled to Mariupol alongside his collaborators. Petro Andriuszczenko, head of the Center for Research on Occupation, stated Kadyrow’s team reportedly visited the “Hutsul Iron” and “Iljich Steel” facilities. Previously, they met in Donetsk with Denis Puszylin, leader of the unrecognised Donetsk People’s Republic. According to Andriuszczenko’s reports, Puszylin signed a document granting “temporary permission” for scrap metal exports from occupied territories of Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk on August 26. The permit is valid until September 25. The document was shared on Andriuszczenko’s Telegram channel.
Behind the Scenes of Kadyrow’s Agreement with Puszylin
In 2024, Puszylin banned scrap metal exports from Donetsk Oblast, disadvantaging Kadyrow’s associates. Andriuszczenko claims Puszylin agreed to lift the ban after Kadyrow promised support in his rivalry with Sergei Kiriyenko, the former Russian prime minister, over influence within the Kremlin.
“This is the Entire Essence of Russian Treachery”
In a post published on Andriuszczenko’s Telegram channel, Kadyrow reportedly received a “looting permit” for Ukrainian resources in exchange for backing Puszylin against Kiriyenko. The text states, “This is the entire essence of Russian treachery: to steal and enrich. Here lies the purpose of the occupation—a purely colonial policy.”
Source: Gazeta, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/czeczenia, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/krym
