Adam Kadyrov Awarded Second ‘Hero of Chechnya’ Medal at Age 18

Adam Kadyrov, the son of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has been awarded his second “Hero of Chechnya” medal at the age of 18. The title was granted for “comprehensive support” to Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a Telegram post on Friday by Magomed Daudov, a close ally of Kadyrov senior. Daudov noted that the award also coincided with Russia Day, a national holiday.

Kadyrov received his first “Hero of Chechnya” award at age 15 in 2023, following the high-profile beating of a young Russian man accused of burning the Quran while in pre-trial detention. Since that incident, which Russian authorities effectively ignored, Kadyrov has accumulated several awards and been appointed to senior positions in his native Chechnya.

In Friday’s announcement, Daudov referred to the young man by his titles of assistant to the head of the Chechen Republic and secretary of the Chechen security council. Daudov himself, who fought on the side of rebels during both Chechen wars but later switched sides after then-leader Akhmat Kadyrov promised to pardon separatist fighters, received the Hero of Russia award in 2007. Kadyrov Sr. promoted Daudov, who has been accused of widespread human rights abuses, to the rank of major-general.