Serbian authorities have changed their minds about granting citizenship to Ramzan Kadyrov's nephew.
Following media reports, the Serbian government reversed its decision to grant citizenship to Ramzan Kadyrov's nephew, Yakub Zakriev, citing a threat to public safety.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," Ramzan Kadyrov's nephew, Yakub Zakriev, who manages the former assets of Danone Russia, received Serbian citizenship. The document signed by the Serbian Prime Minister stated that Zakriev's citizenship was granted "in the interests of the republic."
The nephew of the head of Chechnya, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture of the Republic, Yakub (Ibrahim) Zakriev, became the CEO of Danone Russia after Vladimir Putin transferred the foreign company's stake in Danone Russia to the temporary management of the Federal Property Management Agency. Zakriev also became the head of Danone Trade, a key subsidiary of Danone in Russia. On November 3, 2023, the US Treasury put Yakub Zakriev and his father, Salman, Ramzan Kadyrov's son-in-law and deputy speaker of the Chechen parliament, on its sanctions list. In June 2024, Yakub Zakriev was sanctioned by the UK.
The decision to grant Yakub Zakriev Serbian citizenship has been annulled, the Serbian newspaper Nedeljnik reported today, citing the country's official gazette (Službeni glasnik).
The official announcement of the revocation of the citizenship grant does not mention Zakriev's name, but only the number of the revoked "Decision on Granting Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia 05 No. 204-3093/2026 of April 23, 2026." This is the number Zakriev was registered under, the publication notes.
The revocation of Zakriev's citizenship is motivated by a law article that stipulates such a revocation in the event of a "threat to human life and health" and "public safety," provided that "the purpose of the revocation cannot be successfully achieved by other means that less impinge on the acquired rights." Journalists noted that the government had previously "not officially explained" what Serbian interests were served by granting citizenship to Kadyrov's nephew.
"Thus, in five days, Kadyrov's nephew Zakriev has gone from being a foreigner of interest to Serbia to a foreigner who could pose a 'threat to national security,'" Serbian outlet N1 stated in today's publication.
This decision, like the previous one granting citizenship, was signed by Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Makut. However, the three new decisions granting citizenship to three former Russian citizens, issued today, were signed not by Makut, but by First Deputy Prime Minister Sinisa Mali.
Serbian opposition demands the revocation of passports issued to Russians
Serbian government decision to grant citizenship Zakriev has drawn criticism from opposition political forces in the country. The Free Citizens' Movement (PSG) party, for example, considered him a threat to the visa-free travel with the European Union enjoyed by Serbian passport holders.
The party recalled that Serbia had previously granted citizenship to Russian "oligarchs, intelligence officers, and some military personnel," allowing them to circumvent EU travel restrictions. The European Commission, in its 2025 report, "clearly emphasized that this practice could lead to the abolition of visa-free travel for all Serbian citizens," but the government continued to abuse this mechanism.
"It is clear that Serbia has no particular interest in granting citizenship to Zakriev (...) Granting citizenship to individuals close to the Kremlin directly threatens the interests of Serbian citizens," the PSG statement, published today, noted.
Sanctions against Ramzan Kadyrov's relatives and Chechen officials have been repeatedly sanctioned since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. On August 24, 2023, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on 11 Russian citizens. Among them were Aimani Kadyrov, the mother of the head of Chechnya; Mansur Soltayev, the Chechen ombudsman; Muslim Khuchiev, the prime minister of the republic; and Zamid Chalayev, the commander of the Akhmat Kadyrov police regiment. The head of Chechnya then stated that he would not forgive the US for the sanctions imposed on his mother and demanded that they be lifted, calling the sanctions "painless."
Who else from Kadyrov's inner circle received Serbian passports?
He received Serbian citizenship back in March 2024 A close associate of Zakariev, Chechen businessman Ruslan Alisultanov, is considered the official owner of the former assets of Danone Russia (since October 2025, they have been managed by the company "Logika Moloka" (Milk Logic), whose CEO is Yakub Zakriev - ed. "Caucasian Knot"). Ruslan Alisultanov's family members - his two daughters and two sons - also received Serbian citizenship.
In January 2025, Iman Khalidova, the daughter of Chechen boxer and member of the executive committee of the Federal Border Service, Sumaid Khalidov, who organized the Akhmat Kadyrov boxing tournament in Grozny, received Serbian citizenship. This tournament was personally opened by Ramzan Kadyrov, according to the Serbian publication Krik in a publication dated April 16, 2025.
Among other Russians who recently became Serbian citizens, journalists discovered Kirill Tkachev, a relative of the former governor of Kuban, Alexander Tkachev. Krattli (received citizenship on March 14, 2024, the same day as Alisultanov), and former North Ossetian Ecology Minister Chermen Mamiev, who was given a suspended sentence in 2021 for embezzling over 400 million rubles.
Earlier than those listed, back in October 2022, Serbian citizenship was granted to heavyweight mixed martial arts world champion Fedor Emelianenko, whose younger brother, Aleksandr Emelianenko, maintains a close relationship with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.