"It will not end for us even if Ukraine wins the war" - Chechen volunteers

On the territory of Ukraine, Chechen groups are fighting on both sides - against the Russians and together with them. There is a thirst for blood revenge on both sides. "For us, it will not end even if Ukraine wins the war. We won't stop until Chechnya becomes independent," say those who are defending our homeland side by side with Ukrainians.

Journalists Joanie de Rijke and Artur Chuprygin spoke with members of the Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion for DeMorgen. Translation for Intent by Artur Chuprygin.

The Chechen fighters asked us to delete the address as soon as we get it. Upon arrival, we have to go through a guarded building and are met in the courtyard by a guy who introduces himself as Thor. "We have to be careful, there might be Russian special agents around. They have been sent here for 30 years. And they are constantly looking for us, that's for sure."

The latter is not an exaggeration. The "terrible" troops of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who are fighting on the side of the Russians, better known as Kadyrov's men, are completely different from the Chechen battalions fighting on the side of the Ukrainians.

We enter the makeshift headquarters, where we see a fellow soldier, Thor, who greets us with a sincere smile. He calls himself Maga. Both serve in the Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion, which has been in Ukraine since 2014.

Currently, five Chechen militant groups are helping the Ukrainian army, the most famous of which are the Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion and the Sheikh Mansur battalion. There are 200-300 people in Tora and Maga's group, but we were not told the exact number. Maga is the deputy commander, and Tor, in his own words, is "just a smart soldier."

"Our unit is performing combat missions on the front line," Tor says. "We cannot say exactly where, but it is in Bakhmut, among other places. It's a bit difficult because we are volunteers, we don't get paid by the state and we are not protected by the government."

The struggle did not begin yesterday

During the Chechen wars of 1994-1996 and 1999-2010, when the Russians invaded the republic of Ichkeria to "liberate" the population, as in Ukraine, more than 30 percent of the population fled the country and settled throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Ukraine. It is these people and their descendants who are now taking up arms against the Russians.

The capital city of Grozny was completely reduced to rubble in 94-95, just like today's Mariupol and many other cities in Ukraine. So the motivation of the Chechen armed forces to stop the Russians is deep and understandable. "At the same time, we are a full-fledged part of the Ukrainian army, we fight side by side," Tor says. "We follow orders, and we cannot act completely on our own."

The Sheikh Mansur battalion has more Muslims than Dzhokhar Dudayev's battalion, but both groups have volunteers of different nationalities and religions, Tor says. "Japanese, Christians, atheists, everyone is welcome to fight against Russia."

About the bad reputation

When ISIS was in control of Mosul and the city of Raqqa, the Kadirovites had a bad reputation. They were known as barbarians who beheaded, raped, and killed. "We still get that thrown at our feet," says Thor. "But we're not radical jihadists or crusaders, religion has nothing to do with it. We are fighting for freedom. If we do not stop the Russians now, they will soon be on the borders of Europe. Moreover, this will not end for us even when Ukraine wins the war. We will not stop until Chechnya is independent."

On the other hand, Ramzan Kadyrov's troops fighting in Ukraine are proud of their ruthless image. They are associated with last year's killings, torture and rape of civilians in Bucha and Borodyanka. During the same period, Kadyrov offered $500,000 on his Telegram channel for the commanders of "Ukrainian nationalists," including the battalion where Maga and Tor were killed.

Maga (left) and Thor. Image by Artur Chupryhin

"We have never encountered Kadyrov's men on the front line. In March last year, they were in the forefront of those who committed war crimes, but now they are nowhere to be seen on the frontline. They are present in the territories occupied by Russia, where they imprison and torture the local population. They would also like to get to us. Our motivation is many times stronger. We, like Ukrainians, are fighting for freedom, while the Kadyrovites are fighting for money."

400 years of fighting the Russians

The conversation makes it clear that their units are financially supported by volunteers from all over the world. "From Australia and Japan, Europe and the United States." Now they are in Kyiv for a short rotation, and soon they will go back to the front in eastern Ukraine. The place and time are still unknown.

They have no idea when the active phase of the long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive will begin: "When the counter-offensive in Izyum started last September, we didn't know until the evening that we would have to perform tasks there," says Tor. "It was not as everyone probably imagines. One minute before we started, we heard the command that we had to get ready to leave. Even our commanders didn't know where we were going to fight until it started."

"We are just a small infantry unit," says Tor. "But one that will fight to the last breath. Those who have studied our history know that we have been fighting the Russians for 400 years. And it will not end until we get Chechnya back. But first, Ukraine."

Joanie de Rijke

Артур Чупригін