Analysts assess combat training of “Akhmat” special forces and “Akhhmat-Chechnya” unit fighters

The combined “Akhmat” battalion, commanded by Apti Alaudinov, is staffed with fighters from different regions, including volunteers and former fighters from the “Wagner” PMC (Private Military Company), experts say. The “Akhmat-Chechnya” unit, which five fighters were reported by Apti Alaudinov as capture, is staffed by Chechens who were not trained to participate in battles and were engaged in maintaining order, a Caucasian expert has emphasized.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on August 13, Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the “Akhmat” special forces, reported that three field radio operators and two riflemen of the “Akhmat-Chechnya” unit were captured in the Kursk Region. Apti Alaudinov emphasized that the fighters captured were from the “Akhmat-Chechnya” unit, not the “Akhmat” special forces. The commander has added that for a Chechen native there is nothing more shameful than to be captured. The day earlier, Apti Alaudinov called the reports of mass surrender of Chechen fighters “enemy fabrications.”

Military expert Alexander Khramchikhin reports that different military units under the name “Akhmat” may differ in their level of training.

Military expert Vasily Dandykin emphasizes that different military units under the name “Akhmat” are staffed, in particular, by volunteers. It has been reported that not all volunteers underwent proper military training.

Political analyst Ruslan Kutaev notes that the combined battalion “Akhmat”, which is commanded by Apti Alaudinov and named “Isa’s Army”, consists to a lesser extent of Chechen natives. The battalion belongs to the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

"Along with that, there is the ‘Akhmat’ military unit. It is staffed exclusively by Chechens. And they are not trained to participate in combat operations with regular troops. The guys who were captured are from the above military unit. In the Kursk Region, they performed functions close to the police,” Ruslan Kutaev explained.

The political analyst has emphasized that according to the information he has got, ‘the combined battalion “Akhmat” is directly involved in military operations on the front line.

Ruslan Kutaev has added that it is difficult to predict the logic of the Chechen authorities’ behaviour towards prisoners of war (POWs) after their release.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on April 15, 2023, Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, reported that five Chechen fighters had returned to Grozny from the Ukrainian captivity. The leader of Chechnya did not meet them and criticized them.