At a meeting of the government of Chechnya the day before, the head of the Republic commented on the numerous rumors of recent weeks about himself and denied the possibility of his resignation.

“People say that Ramzan is being removed [from his post], and they are looking for another in his place,” Kadyrov said, and replied: “They are not looking for anyone to take my place, and I won’t let anyone look, I won this place for myself. As soon as the time [the current term of office] ends, with the permission of the Almighty, I will again go to the polls, and if the people elect, I will continue to work,” he assured.

Ramzan Kadyrov has repeatedly announced plans to retire, but each time he contradicted himself. So, last fall, he said that he "stayed too long" in his position and "deserved an indefinite and long vacation." “I can leave only by asking the people and the President of Russia. Therefore, we will leave the talk of indefinite leave for the future. Now I won’t even take the required annual leave,” he said. Later, the head of Chechnya announced that he was not going to resign and wanted to become a "long-liver" among other heads of regions.

Ramzan Kadyrov has been in charge of Chechnya since 2007, and has actually been in charge of it since the death of his father, Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, in May 2004.