Political analysts assess Kadyrov’s role in exchange of prisoners

Ramzan Kadyrov has well-established connections in the Middle East and could play an important role in involving the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to an exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) between Russia and Ukraine, political analysts believe. The UAE and Russia have various economic contacts even without participation of the leader of Chechnya, and if Ramzan Kadyrov was involved in organizing the prisoner exchange, he would use that for his own PR campaign, their opponents suggest.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that 75 Russian soldiers were returned from the Ukrainian captivity without exchange, and 173 other prisoners of war were returned through exchange, reports Shamsail Saraliev, a Russia State Duma member from Chechnya.

Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, believes that the negotiations between representatives of Russia and the UAE took place through the mediation of Ramzan Kadyrov.

“His role is symbolized by the activity of State Duma member from Chechnya Shamsail Saraliev. He personifies the Ramzan Kadyrov’s influence in relations with the UAE,” Ruslan Kutaev noted.

Caucasian expert Akhmet Yarlykapov also believes that contacts between the Russian Federation and the UAE are carried out not without the help of the leader of Chechnya.

“In fact, Ramzan Kadyrov is considered to be the unofficial representative of the Kremlin in the Middle East. We don’t have many people who work with the Middle East. Besides Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Tatarstan works with the Middle East ... However, the Ramzan Kadyrov’s influence in the UAE is quite extensive, and in this matter, he was most likely a mediator between the Russian Federation and the UAE,” Akhmet Yarlykapov suggested.

Political analyst Sergey Zhavoronkov does not agree that the contacts between the Russian Federation and the UAE could not be carried out without the participation of Ramzan Kadyrov. “The fact is that the UAE government is in contact with Russia not only through Ramzan Kadyrov. This state has long had, first of all, economic contacts in Russia,” Sergey Zhavoronkov emphasized.