Mariupol, like Grozny, will be rebuilt, says the Chechen boss

MARIUPOL will be rebuilt along the lines of Grozny, according to the Chechen warlord who led the siege of Ukraine’s devastated port city.

It has been reduced to rubble under constant Russian bombardment, and only a few high-ranking members of the Ukrainian military holed up at the Azovstal Steel Works are refusing to surrender.

Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, suffered a similar fate when it was declared the “most destroyed city” in the world after Kremlin forces devastated it during the Chechen war in the 1990s.

It was later rebuilt under the tyrannical rule of Ramzan Kadyrov and now features glass skyscrapers and manicured public gardens.

The Chechen ruler’s family became leaders after swearing allegiance to Vladimir Putin, who in turn pledged to pay for the rebuilding of their capital.

To take control of Mariupol, Russia used thousands of Chechens
Fighters controlled by Kadyrov.

It is likely that he will continue to oversee troops in the region to block any Ukrainian attempts to liberate the city.

Kadyrov suggested yesterday that a new collaborationist government could benefit from offering Putin her unwavering support.

“Our practice of quickly and efficiently restoring a comfortable and beautiful urban environment will provide significant support to local authorities,” he said.

Britain’s Defense Ministry said the Chechen leader’s presence in Mariupol was due to “significant resource problems” for Russia.

“In an attempt to overcome Ukrainian resistance, Russia has deployed significant auxiliaries.

“This includes a deployment of Chechen forces, likely to consist of several thousand fighters, mainly concentrated in the Mariupol and Luhansk sectors.

“Kadyrov likely retains close personal oversight of the operation, while his cousin Adam Delimkhanov likely served as Chechen field commander in Mariupol.

“The combat deployment of such diverse personnel demonstrates Russia’s significant resource problems in Ukraine and likely contributes to a divided command that continues to impede Russia’s operations.”

Mariupol is expected to fall fully under Russian control in the coming days.

Scores of Ukrainian troops have been bussed to Russian-held areas in Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region since resistance fighters capitulated on Monday.

Ukraine said it would negotiate with Moscow on a prisoner exchange for captured Russians, but talks have since collapsed.

The Kremlin has hinted that surrendered Ukrainian fighters could face war crimes charges, raising doubts about the fate of the remaining troops still at the Azovstal plant.

Denis Pushilin, leader of the Kremlin-led Donetsk People’s Republic, said: “As for war criminals and nationalists, their fate should be decided by courts when they lay down their arms.

“When the enemy has laid down their arms, their fate will be decided by the courts. If it’s a Nazi criminal, then it’s a tribunal.”

Russia’s investigative committee said it would “review their involvement in crimes against civilians.”

Kyiv pledged to do “whatever is necessary” to evacuate the remaining troops at the steel mill, while Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his top negotiators were working on possible prisoner swaps.

Meanwhile, broader peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have stalled, officials said, and Moscow warned that resuming talks could be difficult. (© Telegraph Media Group Ltd. 2022)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]