The Russian Ministry of Defense announced today, Monday, that it has signed a contract with the Chechen special forces group known as the "Ahmad Battalion," one day after the founder of the Russian private military group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, refused to sign a similar contract. The signing came after an order stating that all members of the so-called "volunteer units" must sign contracts by July 1 to bring them under the control of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. In return, the volunteer fighters will receive all the benefits and guarantees that regular troops obtain, including support for them and their families in case of injury or death.
What is the Ahmad Battalion?
The "Ahmad Battalion" comprises four battalions and is named after the Chechen leader Ahmad Kadyrov. It consists of around 10,000 fighters and is considered semi-attached to the Russian army, although some of its fighters come from outside the military. Kadyrov announced the formation of this force in June 2022, and since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, he has repeatedly appeared on his Telegram account to motivate his troops participating in combat alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
