COMMITMENT

Chechen Leader: I’m Ready to Die for Putin

Ramzan Kadyrov calls himself “Putin’s foot soldier.”

Ramzan Kadyrov, the notorious head of the Chechen Republic, has said he is “ready to die” for Russian President Vladimir Putin or to step down, if ordered. The 41-year-old gave an interview on state TV Sunday evening that featured the leader boxing and riding a horse set to music. Kadyrov described Putin as his idol. “I am ready to die for him, to fulfill any order,” he said. Numerous human-rights groups have accused Kadyrov of abuses during his decade in power, including a purge of gay men that is reported to have resulted in numerous executions. Kadyrov, who calls himself “Putin’s foot soldier,” said it is “his dream” to one day leave office. “Once there was a need for people like me to fight, to put things in order. Now we have order and prosperity... and the time has come for changes,” he said.