Ahmed's Chechen special forces fighting in Ukraine alongside Russia: Origins, Development, and mission

Ahmed's Chechen special forces fighting in Ukraine alongside Russia: Origins, Development, and mission

    Saturday, June 10, 2023   No comments

Chechen forces consisting of 4 battalions, named "Ahmad's forces" after the Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov, numbering 10,000 and carrying out several attacks in Ukrainian cities. They are considered semi-affiliated to the Russian army, although they include volunteers from outside the army.

On June 26, 2022, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov announced his intention to form 4 special Chechen military battalions, and declared their subordination to the Chechen Ministry of Defense.

It is 4 battalions (Ahmed North, Ahmed South, Ahmed East, and Ahmed West). He added that these battalions will include huge numbers of Chechen fighters exclusively, and they will join the ranks of the Russian Ministry of Defense forces.

The Chechen president gave the four battalions the name of his father Ahmed, also known as the "Akhmat" forces in a special symbolism for him, and a motivator for the Chechen soldiers, especially since Akhmad Kadyrov is considered a patriotic leader in Chechnya.

The Ukrainian media believes that Ahmed's special forces are "terrifying", as they are the only forces from outside Russia and Ukraine that participate directly in the war, while the rest of the countries other than Chechnya are satisfied with providing logistical support, especially the European countries that support Ukraine.

Ahmed's Chechen Special Forces were formed to support Russia in its war on Ukraine, and it consists of 10 thousand soldiers, and it represents part of the Chechen army, as it is headed by General Apti Alaudinov.

The brigades are armed with the latest and most powerful Russian weapons, as some newspapers indicated that they have Russian tanks and vehicles.

All Chechen Ahmed forces' vehicles bear the letter "Z" in English, which is the emblem of support for the Russian forces in Ukraine.

The "Ahmed Forces" brigades have rituals and traditions that they are keen on before all the operations that they carry out, including that a muezzin calls the call to prayer among the members, and they perform what they call the "conquest prayer" and then enter the Ukrainian cities to "liberate" them from what Ramzan Kadyrov calls "neo-Nazis."

One of the rituals of the "Ahmed Brigades" is also the takbeer, and it is a firm tradition for it, and it has a special song entitled "Akhmat Sila", whose words glorify the strength of the "Caucasus" fighters, and praise the "knights" and are proud of their cooperation and brotherhood.

On May 7, 2023, the founder of the Russian Wagner Forces, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced his readiness to hand over the sites in the city of Artyomovsk to Ahmed's Chechen forces.

On February 13, 2023, the Chechen president announced the attempted poisoning of his aide and commander of Ahmed's special forces, Alaudinov.

And this was after Alaeddinov received, on the eighth of February, an envelope containing a letter, which later turned out to be saturated with a toxic substance.

In March, the commander of Ahmed's special forces said he had "not fully recovered yet, because it takes a long time."

In June 2023, Kadyrov announced that Akhmed's special forces were preparing to launch a new offensive in Donetsk.

He also added on his Telegram channel, "A regiment has been appointed under my command, and two other regiments, in preparation for active offensive actions," and emphasized the efficiency of Ahmed's special forces, and their ability to perform any task assigned to them.

On the part of the commander of the forces, General Alaudinov said, "If we are transferred to the Donetsk direction, I guarantee that the (Ahmed) special forces will do everything for the liberation of the Donetsk People's Republic."

The Ukrainian counteroffensive is finally on

The Ukrainian counteroffensive is finally on

    Thursday, June 08, 2023   No comments

The Biden administration and NATO leaders are now saying that they supplied with Ukraine with all that is necessary and that they asked for. Such statements make the outcome of this counterattack decisive, not only militarily, but, importantly, politically. 

When talks about the Ukrainian counteroffensive was heating up months ago, a prediction was made that that it is unlikely to happen as a full scale attack and if it did, it will be decided by geography, planning according to the presence of natural barriers such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. With that thinking, and with Ukrainian stated goal of taking over Crimea, the Zaporozhye direction was the logical frontline that will be used to break through Russian defense lines. 

With the destruction of the major dam (Kakhovskaya HPP), the Kherson frontline is taken out the equation. 

More reasons to focus on the developments in the Zaporozhye front.

US officials to the New York Times: Ukraine most likely carried out the attack on the Kremlin carracterized by Moscow as an assassination attempt

US officials to the New York Times: Ukraine most likely carried out the attack on the Kremlin carracterized by Moscow as an assassination attempt

    Wednesday, May 24, 2023   No comments

That attack that was characterized by Moscow as an assassination attempt to kill Putin is  was likely carried out by Ukraine occirding to US officials who spoke to New York Times.

On Wednesday, The New York Times quoted US officials as saying that the Ukrainians were "most likely" to have carried out the attack that took place with rallies on the Russian presidential building (the Kremlin) on May 3.

The officials said that US intelligence reached its initial assessment through intercepted communications, and that the attack was likely orchestrated by one of Ukraine's special military or intelligence units.

They also indicated that it was not clear if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or his senior officials knew about the operation prior to its launch.

It is noteworthy that Russia had accused the United States of being behind the attack on the Kremlin, noting that it had several options for a measured and balanced response to the attack.

Russian officials also demanded the liquidation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in response to the attack.

Kiev has denied any involvement in the attack on the Kremlin, accusing Moscow of deliberately highlighting it in the media to justify any possible escalation of the conflict inside Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that efforts by Kiev and Washington to deny any responsibility for the attack on the Kremlin are completely absurd, and that decisions regarding such attacks are not taken in Ukraine, but in Washington, and Kiev implements what is asked of it.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed that there is no doubt that the Kiev regime was behind the attack, noting that the actions of the Kiev regime - which it described as "criminal" - confirm its unwillingness to settle the ongoing conflict through political and diplomatic means, threatening those responsible for the attacks with strict and inevitable punishment.

Arab League Summit Welcomes Syrian President Back and receives statements from Russia and China

Arab League Summit Welcomes Syrian President Back and receives statements from Russia and China

    Saturday, May 20, 2023   No comments

The work of the 32nd regular session of the Arab Summit took place in the Saudi city of Jeddah, Friday, in the presence of a number of Arab leaders and leaders.

Arab leaders and heads of delegations participating in the summit took a group photo before the start of the opening session.

Likewise, the Syrian "SANA" agency reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shook hands with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, before entering the summit hall, and that was followed by a side conversation between them.

After 13 years of absence, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad returned today, Friday, to participate in the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In turn, the Algerian Prime Minister, Ayman bin Abdel Rahman, welcomed Syria's return to the Arab League. Abdel Rahman renewed his full solidarity with the Palestinian people, calling on "the international community to stop the systematic attacks against it."

He expressed the détente of Arab relations with Turkey and Iran, calling on the international community to put an end to the Israeli settlement policy.

Abdul Rahman added, "There are indications of the emergence of a new multipolar world order at the expense of the unipolar one."

He pointed out that "the role of the Arab League must be activated and the reform process in the Arab League must be accelerated."

After the speech of the Algerian Prime Minister, Ayman bin Abdel Rahman, Algeria handed Saudi Arabia the presidency of the thirty-second Arab summit.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, "We are pleased with the presence of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Arab summit."

Bin Salman hoped that Syria's return to the Arab League would contribute to achieving stability in it and resolving its crisis.

On Sudan, Ibn Salman hoped that the language of dialogue would prevail between the Sudanese parties.

And he added, "The Palestinian issue was and still is the central issue of the Arabs."

The Jeddah Summit is an opportunity to restore Arab issues

For his part, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Aboul Gheit pointed out that "the Jeddah Summit is an opportunity to restore Arab issues that were left to others a long time ago."

The Jordanian king welcomes the return of Syria

Jordan's King Abdullah II said, "The Palestinian issue remains the center of our attention, and peace cannot be achieved with the continued construction of settlements."

Jordan's King Abdullah II repeatedly warned against the continuation of the Syrian crisis without reaching a solution, welcoming Syria's return to the university as a first step to resolving the crisis.

Al-Sisi calls for a solution to the Sudanese crisis

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said, "Relying on our own capabilities to resolve important issues has become necessary."

Al-Sisi added, "Egypt is continuing its efforts to stabilize the truce in Gaza."

He added, "If the Sudanese crisis is not resolved, it will have a negative impact on the region."

Al-Sisi indicated that "Syria's return to the Arab League is a step to activate the role of the League."

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani welcomed "Arab efforts to crystallize an Arab regional system."

For his part, the representative of the African Union at the Arab Summit said, "The solution in Sudan will not be military."

"The adventure of violence in Sudan threatens the entire region with fragmentation," he added.

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Amin Hussein Taha, looked forward to intensifying cooperation between the Organization and the Arab League in many fields.

Saeid: Together, we have the potential to achieve what we want

In a speech during the Arab summit, Tunisian President Kais Said said that the brothers in Palestine are still offering daily martyrs for the sake of liberation from the Zionist occupation in light of the suspicious silence of many capitals.

Saeed refused that the Arab countries would "once again be victims of a new world order," stressing, "We do not participate in its establishment and arrangement."

The Tunisian president refused that his country be "in an alliance against another."

He welcomed Syria's return to the Arab League after thwarting the plot aimed at fragmenting it, pointing out that "we collectively have the capabilities that enable us to achieve what we want, as we are advocates of freedom, peace and peace for the entire nation."

The President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, called for international protection for the Palestinian people.

The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, welcomed the return of Syria to the League of Arab States, calling for an end to the events in Sudan.

The Crown Prince of Kuwait affirms the preservation of the unity and sovereignty of Syria

Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad said that he feels "optimism about the signs of détente in the region, including the understanding between Saudi Arabia and Iran," reiterating his support for the decision of the Arab League Council and the statement issued in the Jeddah and Amman meetings.

The Crown Prince of Kuwait affirmed his country's position calling for preserving the unity and sovereignty of Syria, adding: "We affirm our firm and supportive position for the rights of our Palestinian people, and we call on the international community to work to reach a comprehensive and just solution."

Al-Sudani called for holding the 2025 Arab Summit in Baghdad, the "Dar of Peace"

In a speech during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani welcomed Syria's return to its normal place, stressing "the importance of joint Arab action to contain differences."

Al-Sudani hoped the success of the efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan and stabilize the situation in Libya, Yemen and Lebanon.

He also welcomed the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, noting that Iraq supported this step and worked on it to serve prosperity in the region.

The Iraqi President announced that Iraq will host the 2023 Baghdad Conference, for economic integration and regional stability, and the Development Road Conference, with the aim of strengthening ties.

Al-Sudani called for the 2025 Arab summit to be held in Baghdad, "the house of peace."

Mikati: The crisis of the displaced is greater than Lebanon's ability to bear

For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised Syria's return to the Arab summit, and said, "Let me call this summit the 'Healing Wounds Summit'."

Mikati pointed out, during a speech, that "the prolongation of the crisis in Lebanon and the increasing number of displaced people makes the crisis of the displaced greater than Lebanon's capacity to bear," stressing that the return of the displaced cannot be achieved if "the Arab efforts are not concerted in cooperation with the international community."

Sultanate of Oman: The success of this summit is achieved through the reunification of the Arab nation

The head of the delegation of the Sultanate of Oman, Asaad bin Tariq, confirmed that the success of this summit was achieved through the reunion of the Arab nation, welcoming the resumption of "the activity of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic in this summit."

Benn added that the Sultanate of Oman believes that "the inability of the international community to find a settlement for the suffering of the Palestinian people is the source of tensions in the region and the world."

Russia sends a statement to the Arab League's leaders

Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed Russia's interest in developing friendly relations with Arab countries, in order to effectively face emerging threats and challenges.

Putin said, in a telegram of greetings he sent to the participants in the Arab summit held today, Friday, in Jeddah, and the text of which was published on the Kremlin website, that Russia traditionally attaches "great importance to developing friendly relations and constructive partnership cooperation with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa," in a statement. The framework of "Dialogue with the League of Arab States, in order to respond effectively to emerging threats and challenges facing humanity."

The Russian president indicated that his country is determined to continue supporting collective efforts for the peaceful resolution of acute regional issues, including "the crises in Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Syria, with unwavering respect for state sovereignty and the existing provisions of international law."

He stressed that Moscow will continue to provide "every possible assistance in order to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the approaches stipulated in the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, whose owner, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is hosting the current summit of the League of Arab States."

Putin said that continuing to expand multifaceted cooperation between Russia and the Arab countries "fully meets our common interests, and is in line with building a more just and democratic system of international relations, based on the principles of multipolarity, true equality and respect for the legitimate interests of all."

Xi congratulates the Arabs: The Jeddah summit is a new step on the road to unity and achievement

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country is happy to witness the Arab countries taking new steps on the path of unity and self-development with new achievements, in a congratulatory message from him on the occasion of the launch of the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday. ‏

"The Arab League has long been committed to strengthening the Arab world through unity and promoting peace, stability and development in the Middle East," Xi added, according to the Chinese newspaper "Global Times".

The Chinese president also expressed his appreciation to Saudi Arabia, saying that "as an important power in a multipolar world, it has made positive contributions to strengthening solidarity and coordination among Arab countries, and maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East."

He also added, "China and the Arab countries have enjoyed a strong traditional friendship for thousands of years, and in recent years, the strategic partnership between the two sides has grown and achieved fruitful results, setting a good example of South-South cooperation and mutual benefit."

Turkish elections news, Erdogan: Türkiye and Russia need each other, rejects talks with third candidate

Turkish elections news, Erdogan: Türkiye and Russia need each other, rejects talks with third candidate

    Friday, May 19, 2023   No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to CNN about a number of files, including elections and foreign policy.

The Turkish president said he would work "without a doubt" with US President Joe Biden, or with "anyone who might replace him."

In response to his reminder of his condemnation of the statements of US President Joe Biden, who described him as a "tyrant", during his campaign in the US presidential elections, Erdogan said: "Can someone who goes to the second round, and not the first (in the Turkish presidential elections), be a dictator? ".

He asked, "What kind of dictatorship is this? Given that the People's Alliance enters Parliament with 322 deputies, and the person who presides over it comes to the fore, and is heading to a second round."

Erdogan described his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin as "special," and said: "We have no problems in our relationship with Russia at the present time, and we are not at a stage where we impose sanctions on it as the West did. We are not bound by the West's sanctions."

Erdogan criticized the "unbalanced approach of the West with Russia," as he put it, saying: "You need a balanced approach towards a country like Russia, which could have been a much more fortunate approach."

He stressed that "Turkey and Russia need each other in every field."

Regarding Turkey's approval of Sweden's request to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, "NATO," Erdogan said that he was "not ready for Sweden to enter NATO."

Regarding the return of Syrian-Turkish relations, he made it clear that he could reconcile with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if they agree on how to deal with the PKK file.

It is worth mentioning that the Turkish Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar, spoke weeks ago about the possibility of meeting the leaders of Turkey and Syria within the framework of the quadripartite formula, and said in this regard: "We need to make appropriate preparations."

Erdogan said he would not negotiate with Turkish presidential candidate Sinan Ogan.

The Turkish president also expressed his confidence that the people will show the strength of Turkish democracy in the second round of the presidential elections as well.

He said, during the interview: "I believe that my people will show the strong Turkish democracy in the elections that will take place on Sunday (28th of this month) as well. There was a strong participation rate of nearly 90% (in the first round)."

And the Turkish president indicated that "this participation rate is very important, and it is less than its counterpart in the world." As for the Turkish economy, Erdogan said he is committed to his interest rate theory.

Last Sunday, Turkey witnessed presidential and parliamentary elections, and the candidate of the "Audience Alliance" President Erdogan, the candidate of the "Nation Alliance" leader of the Republican People's Party Kamal Kilicdaroglu, and the candidate of the "Ata Alliance" (ancestors) Sinan Ogan competed in the presidential elections.

Turkey's Supreme Electoral Commission officially announced that the second round of the presidential elections would take place on May 28, due to the fact that no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote.

Iran and Russia sign an agreement to build a railway line boosting the North-South Trade Route initiative

Iran and Russia sign an agreement to build a railway line boosting the North-South Trade Route initiative

    Thursday, May 18, 2023   No comments

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, witnessed via video link today, Wednesday, the signing of an agreement to finance and build a railway in Iran, as part of plans to establish an international transport corridor linking the north and south.

The railway line between the cities of Rasht and Astara is seen as an important link in the international corridor, which aims to connect India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and other countries by rail and sea.

Russia says this corridor can rival the Suez Canal as a major route for global trade.

Putin said that the unique north-south transport route - of which the Rasht-Astara railway will become a part - will contribute to a significant diversification of global transport flows.

He added that the railway line - which extends 162 km along the Caspian Sea coast - will help connect Russian ports on the Baltic Sea with ports.

Iran bordering the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.

In turn, the Iranian president said that this agreement is undoubtedly an important and strategic step in the field of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.

Western sanctions imposed on Russia and Iran have pushed the two countries to strengthen their political and economic relations, and both countries say the sanctions are unjustified.

Since 1979, the West has imposed numerous sanctions on Iran, which has about a quarter of the oil reserves in the Middle East, and its economy has been paralyzed. The West has also imposed another set of restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program, and imposed sanctions on Russia because of its war in Ukraine.

The agreement between Russia and Iran, with support from India, will make this initiative one that would compete with the Suez Canal, reducing the strategic importance of the Suez Canal and revenues for the Egyptian government. Aware of this connection between these trade systems, Egypt and Iran increased their low level talks to repair their diplomatic relations that have been downgraded since 1979.

The North-South Trade line is not isolated from the China-backed Belt and Road initiative, in fact it is seen as a complementing project. For that to be true, Pakistan must be integrated into this project. It is no coincidence then that the Iranian president, hours after signing the agreement with Putin, visited the border with Pakistan to emphasize two critical things: The integration of Pakistan into the Asia economy anchored by China and Russia and to address the security issue in the border with Pakistan, which recalls the increasing role now played by the SCO in regional security matters.

 

To these ends, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said today, Thursday, that he is in the process of implementing joint border projects between Iran and Pakistan. He added during a joint press conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Sistan and Baluchistan province on the sidelines of the opening of the electricity transmission project to Pakistan that part of the border markets with Pakistan has not been activated so far, and its problems will be resolved during this visit.

He pointed out that his country's government will also follow up the implementation of economic and tourism projects and border transportation.

The Iranian president said: "We will take more field steps to exchange energy and electricity with Pakistan, in addition to energy exchange and the launch of a joint border market between the two countries."

He confirmed that 6 other joint markets are being planned to be launched soon. He added that today's meeting, with the participation of the Pakistani Prime Minister, carries an "important message that borders can contribute to enhancing security between the two countries."

He pointed out that Pakistan's security "is the security of the entire region, which is our security, and the presence of foreigners in the region will not solve its security problems."

Raisi also touched on the outcome of the American presence in Afghanistan, saying that this presence contributed to "killing, wounding, disabling and displacing many of the people of this country."

For his part, Sharif said that Iran and Pakistan are "two brothers and two friends who share a common culture and history."

He added, "Means of strengthening economic relations in the future were discussed," stressing: "We will overcome all challenges and difficulties to achieve this goal."

Earlier, Iranian President Sharif met at the Bish-Mand joint border, as the two sides discussed developing joint trade relations.

Raisi and his accompanying delegation arrived Thursday morning in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan to follow up on a number of development projects in the province.

During this visit, Raisi followed up on the progress made in the strategic project to develop the "Makran coasts", and the inauguration of the water pumping process in the "Kahir Dam" and the operations of extending water to a number of villages in this province.

He pointed out that the development of the province of Sistan and Baluchestan is one of the priorities of the government's plans, adding: "The plans and programs set for this province, especially the Makran region, will be followed up."

Upon his arrival at Konark Airport, Raisi noted that the beaches of Makran have a lot of "good potentials for the economy, tourism and maritime economy."

He added, "Thanks to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, good measures and steps were taken in developing the province and developing its tourism and economic potential."

He stated that one of the objectives of this visit is to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the former borders of the city of Rask, and to follow up on planning economic projects, road tourism and infrastructure for the province of Sistan and Baluchestan.