The Kremlin is reportedly scrambling to find a successor to Ramzan Kadyrov following reports that the Chechen leader has been diagnosed with necrotizing pancreatitis, a terminal illness, according to Russian media reports.

Kadyrov, also known as “Putin's attack dog” or “Putin’s soldier” for his loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has visited Moscow Central Clinical Hospital regularly through the years to undergo procedures. He was allegedly diagnosed with the illness five years ago.

Ukrainian intelligence last year pointed to Kadyrov’s ailing health, noting last year that he was in a coma.

“There is information that the war criminal Kadyrov is in a serious condition and the diseases that were there have worsened and caused such a serious condition,” said Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence branch. The former vice-prime minister of Chechnya, Akhmad Zakayev, has also previously stated he has been sick.

He overdosed last year on a preoperative sedative, causing acute pulmonary failure, according to Novaya Gazeta.

The news of Kadyrov’s terminal ailment is reportedly a “source of concern” for the Kremlin as Putin looks to shore up Russian influence and control in Chechnya in the coming years, which has been a decades-old objective for Moscow.

In 1991, the President of Chechnya, Dzhokhar Dudayev, declared independence—but Moscow pushed back on it out of fear that it could inspire other provinces to break from Russia. In 1994, Russia invaded Chechnya to try to keep it under its fold. Five years later, Putin had the capital of Chechnya, Grozny, destroyed, killing tens of thousands of civilians.

Putin’s operation in Chechnya—where he has claimed he was simply carrying out counterterrorism operations—has drawn comparisons Moscow’s strategy to the war in Ukraine.

The loss of the Kremlin’s loyal foot soldier, however, could directly impact domestic support for the war. Kadyrov has sent soldiers to fight for Russia in Ukraine. He has also been a vocal champion of Putin within Russia, supporting the idea of limiting candidates in elections and vowing loyalty to the Russian president in the face of Wagner’s march on Moscow.

One potential successor could be Major General Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Chechen special forces volunteer association, who has been working as deputy at the Main Directorate for Military and Political Work at the defense ministry. Alaudinov was personally appointed to the role by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Already, some Chechens have expressed disapproval of Putin and his war in Ukraine. When the war began, some Chechens even joined frontline battalions helping Ukraine to fend off the Russian invasion. In return, some Ukrainians have vowed to fight for a free Chechnya once the war is over.

Kadyrov has sought to throw cold water on his reported terminal ailment. He posted a video of himself working out on Tuesday, as if to signal that his diagnosis isn’t holding him back. The Kremlin has previously worked to spread the narrative that Kadyrov is healthy.

‘Putin’s Foot Soldier’ Posts Cringe Workout Video to Prove He’s Not Dying

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has responded to a bombshell report that he is on the brink of death and the Kremlin is actively searching for his successor by doing exactly what Vladimir Putin himself would probably do: posting a cringe video of himself working out.

“Remember, taking care of your health is an investment in the future, and consistency and perseverance will lead you to success, both in sports and in life,” the self-proclaimed Putin foot soldier wrote in a post on social media. Kadyrov squeezed himself into a bright blue jogging suit for an accompanying one-and-a-half-minute video in which he can be seen doing his stretches before lifting weights.

Tellingly, the video seemed to play up Kadyrov’s aides struggling with the workout, before showing a clearly rehearsed–and maybe a little homoerotic–moment in which the Chechen tyrant easily tosses his aide to the ground.

The messaging behind the video was echoed by Kremlin-controlled media, which shared another clip of Kadyrov’s workout and noted that he was “in high spirits” amid “rumors about his health.”

Speculation about Kadyrov’s health has run rampant for years as his weight has visibly fluctuated drastically and he’s often appeared heavily bloated. The independent news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported Monday that he is in fact terminally ill—and the Kremlin is preparing to replace him.

Citing sources at the Moscow Central Clinical Hospital, the report says Kadyrov is in a much bigger mess than anyone realized, having been placed into a medically induced coma last year following an overdose of a sedative as he battles pancreatic necrosis.

Report: Chechen leader Kadyrov suffering from pancreatic disease

Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Russian republic Chechnya, follows mixed martial arts fights in Achmat Fight Club.

Rumours about the health of Ramzan Kadyrov, the ruler of the Chechen Republic, have flared up again in Russia following a media report that he is suffering from an incurable pancreatic disease.

The exiled newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on Monday about the health of Kadyrov, who is loyal to the Kremlin and known for his brutal treatment of dissidents.

Kadyrov's power apparatus, which denied similar rumours a few months ago, initially made no official comment on the latest media report.

But the usually well-informed newspaper wrote that "the state of health of 47-year-old Ramzan Kadyrov leaves no hope of recovery. And Moscow must now decide operationally how to maintain stability when the tough Chechen dictator is no more."

The newspaper, which was founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, referred to sources close to Kadyrov as well as doctors in the Russian presidential administration's hospital.

The Chechen leader is said to have been treated there last autumn. It was at this time that strong rumours about his serious illness first emerged - fuelled by long absences from public life and visible problems during his rare appearances.

The speculation was officially denied at the time. His long stay in hospital in Moscow was disguised as a sick visit to an uncle, Novaya Gazeta is now reporting. Journalists are now convinced that Kadyrov was the patient.

Meanwhile, a video was published on Kadyrov's Telegram channel on Monday showing him at a meeting of the regional government in Chechnya's capital Grozny.

The recording is unlikely to dispel speculation about the politician's state of health. The Chechen ruler, who is accused of the most serious human rights violations, sits almost motionless at the table and speaks only slowly and apparently with difficulty.