Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced Tuesday that the head of the North Caucasus region’s government has stepped down, becoming the second high-ranking regional official to resign over the past week.
“My dear brother Muslim Khuchiyev resigned as chairman of the government of the republic of Chechnya in connection with his transfer to another job,” Kadyrov wrote on Telegram.
“I’m confident that he’ll show all his best qualities and demonstrate high professionalism at his new place [of work],” he added without specifying where Khuchiyev was expected to be employed next.
Khuchiyev, the former mayor of the Chechen capital of Grozny, was appointed as the head of Chechnya’s government in 2018.
He temporarily replaced Kadyrov between 2019 and 2020 as the Chechen strongman underwent medical treatment. Recent media reports claimed that Kadyrov has been living with a potentially fatal illness for more than five years.
Khuchiyev’s resignation comes days after Kadyrov ally Magomed Daudov announced he was stepping down as speaker of Chechnya’s legislative assembly.
He will now be replaced by his deputy Isa Tumkhadzhiyev, who will serve as acting head of Chechnya’s government, Kadyrov said.
The United States sanctioned Khuchiyev in August over his role in the alleged forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.
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