(Bloomberg) Russia Hosts China, Iran Security Chiefs to Discuss Cooperation - Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and China’s security chief Chen Wenqing discussed strengthening ties between the special services and law enforcement agencies of their two countries at talks on Tuesday.
- Patrushev and Chen, the Chinese Communist Party Politburo member in charge of security and law enforcement agencies, met in St. Petersburg on the sidelines of an international conference of intelligence chiefs, the state-run Tass news service reported.
- Iran’s National Security Council chief, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, has also arrived in St. Petersburg for the conference and is due to hold talks with Patrushev, as well as with representatives of Brazil, South Africa, China, India and Iraq, Tass reported, citing the Iranian embassy in Moscow.
(Meduza) Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov reportedly suffering from pancreatic necrosis - Chechnya Governor Ramzan Kadyrov is suffering from pancreatic necrosis [since 2019], a condition that entails part of the pancreas dying, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on Monday.
- To divert attention from Kadyrov’s health issues, the Russian authorities reportedly decided to launch a “PR campaign,” which involved Kadyrov meeting publicly with Vladimir Putin and other officials to give the impression that he was active and healthy. According to Novaya Gazeta, the video Kadyrov posted in September 2023 that showed his 15-year-old son Adam assaulting a defenseless prisoner was also part of this distraction effort, as were the numerous awards Adam received in the weeks that followed.
- As Kadyrov’s condition has worsened, according to Novaya Gazeta, the Putin administration has begun drafting plans for a possible “forced regime change in Chechnya.” The outlet named former Akhmat Battalion Commander Apti Alaudinov as one possible successor.
- Shortly after Novaya Gazeta’s article was published, Kadyrov’s press service released a video showing the governor in a meeting on “issues related to Chechnya’s participation in the special military operation.” In the clip, Kadyrov speaks in a slurred manner and barely moves.
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