The Chechen minister refused to take Adam Kadyrov's "unit" seriously.
A group of bodyguards and relatives of Adam Kadyrov, which includes the sons of high-ranking Chechen officials, is positioned on social media as a power unit "Team K-13." The Minister for National Policy of Chechnya stated that this group has no official status.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in June, Ramzan Kadyrov awarded the title of Hero of Chechnya to his 18-year-old son Adam Kadyrov for the second time; the first such award was given shortly after the beating of Nikita Zhuravelya in the pre-trial detention center. The authorities of Chechnya explained the awarding of the title by outstanding merits to the state, service to the people, and support for the special military operation. The awarding of high honors and titles, such as Hero of Chechnya, to Ramzan Kadyrov's sons causes irritation, mockery, and bewilderment among most people, analysts surveyed by "Caucasian Knot" believe.
Adam Kadyrov began receiving numerous awards and titles in the fall of 2023, shortly after the beating of Nikita Zhuravelya in the pre-trial detention center. Details are collected in the reference of "Caucasian Knot" "Beating of Nikita Zhuravelya: why did Kadyrov's men need to publish the video". The number "K13" is informally reserved for Adam Kadyrov and his people in Chechnya, as well as the call sign "Dustum"; under the brand "K13", an energy drink is produced and advertised in Chechnya, although Ramzan Kadyrov himself has previously advocated banning energy drinks in the republic.
The claim that Adam Kadyrov, the son of the head of Chechnya, founded his own armed "unit" was published on the Instagram account komanda_k13, which was noted by "Verstka".
The publication is accompanied by a photograph: a group of armed young men led by Adam Kadyrov in identical black military clothing poses against the backdrop of premium cars. "These are people of word, honor, and discipline, ready to carry out any assignment regardless of place and time. Loyalty to the cause, determination, and responsibility are the principles that guide Team K-13," the post claims.
Who is in the photo
The group photo includes 30-year-old nephew of Ramzan Kadyrov Abubakar Kadyrov, two nephews of Medni Kadyrova – 21-year-old Dokka Aydamirov and 23-year-old Minkail Usmanov, as well as 18-year-old Ramzan Matsuev, the brother of Aishat Kadyrova's husband.
Also captured in the photo are: 21-year-old Yakub Chalaev – son of Zamid Chalaev, commander of the special police regiment named after Akhmat Kadyrov; 21-year-old Akmat Vismuradov – nephew of the Deputy Prime Minister of Chechnya Abuzayid Vismuradov; 18-year-old Ramzan Daudov – son of the head of the Chechen government Magomed Daudov; 19-year-old Khas-Magomed Naurbiev – son of the deputy commander of the SOBR "Akhmat" Magomed (Adam) Naurbiev.
The oldest of those identified is 36-year-old Shamil Iraskhanov, a relative of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Grozny Apti Iraskhanov. Another person in the image, 28-year-old Khalid (Shamkhan) Tesaev, is a former dancer of the "Nokhcho" ensemble, now listed in phone contacts as "Dustum's assistant" and "Dustum's security."
In official Chechen media, "Team K-13" has not been mentioned, indicating the informal nature of this association. The account of the same name does not describe the activities of the "unit", only regularly publishes photos of Adam Kadyrov or short videos featuring him. The posts on the page are generally not dedicated to specific events or newsworthy occasions.
Disinformation from "enthusiasts"
The Minister for National Policy, External Relations, Press and Information of Chechnya Ilman Vakhidov commented on the publications about Adam Kadyrov's "team" on the evening of October 19, denying the status of a "power unit" for this structure.
"There is no separate unit, especially one created by Adam Kadyrov. There are no verified accounts of law enforcement agencies or authorities of the Chechen Republic in the banned social network Instagram," Vakhidov's statement is quoted by RIA "Novosti".
The official added that the page claiming the creation of a "unit" by Adam Kadyrov does not serve as an official source of information. Vakhidov suggested that this is a fan account, authored by a "private individual-enthusiast". "There are many materials posted there, and from their content, it is clear that this is not the source that can be taken seriously," the minister concluded.
"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in the summer of 2026, a video appeared on one of the accounts associated with Adam Kadyrov, in which he violated traffic rules: the third son of the head of Chechnya exceeded the permissible speed by 2.5 times, drove over a double solid line, and used a phone while driving. Such a video can legally become the basis for an administrative case, including the revocation of driving rights, lawyers pointed out. A few days after the publication of such a video, Adam Kadyrov received a medal from the traffic police.
On January 16, sources reported that the convoy of Ramzan Kadyrov's third son was involved in a traffic accident in Grozny, injuring Adam Kadyrov himself and his companions. For three weeks after reports of the accident, Adam Kadyrov maintained relative activity on social media, but did not publish any new images of himself. Ramzan Kadyrov mentioned the traffic accident involving his third son Adam for the first time on February 9, calling all media publications about the incident "a provocation". "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a reference "What is known about the classified incident involving Adam Kadyrov in Grozny".
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