Russia's war in Ukraine

The Russian government possesses no information on the health of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, whose health has been the subject of speculation in recent days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

On Saturday, a Ukrainian intelligence official said that Kadyrov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a vocal supporter of the war in Ukraine, was gravely ill.

A video shared on Kadyrov’s official channel on the messaging app Telegram showed him outdoors with a caption: “I strongly advise everyone who cannot distinguish truth from lies on the Internet to take a walk in the fresh air and put their thoughts in order. The rain is wonderfully invigorating.”

CNN cannot independently verify claims about Kadyrov’s health.

New reports concerning Kadyrov emerged Monday. Alexey Venediktov, a prominent journalist who led the now-defunct Echo of Moscow radio station, said on Telegram that Kadyrov was undergoing hemodialysis at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow due to “renal failure.”

When asked about Kadyrov’s reported arrival in Moscow and whether he met with Putin, Peskov said he had nothing to say and there were no meetings between the two individuals.

Some background: There have been persistent reports, including from some former Chechen officials, that Kadyrov has had liver and kidney problems.

In March, Kadyrov said he had taken a number of medical tests which showed that he was absolutely healthy.

“And if anyone doubts this, then you need to change the eyes that are deceiving you,” he said at the time.

Kadyrov’s Telegram channel has been active, but he’s not been seen in public recently. A video of the Chechen leader attending a meeting was posted to his Telegram channel on September 12, but it’s unknown when it was filmed.