Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced that he intends to visit Syria at the invitation of Syrian President Bashar Assad, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Monday.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Kadyrov said that Assad had invited him on two separate occasions, however, he had not had the time accept the offer.
When asked about whether the trip would take place before Russian elections in September, Kadyrov replied ?€?As long as I perform my duties well, there is no reason I won't be re-elected.?€?
Kadyrov added that he had visited Damascus previously, before the war.
Following a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin in March 2016, Kadyrov is currently the acting head of state for the Russian republic of Chechnya.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.