Listen to the news

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov today criticized a ban on Russian soldiers wearing beards, joining Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in the two men's latest outburst against Russia's military leadership, BTA reports.

All about the topic:

Russian invasion of Ukraine 8987

In an interview with the news website RBC yesterday, Viktor Sobolev, a retired lieutenant general and member of the Russian parliament, defended the ban on beards, personal smartphones and tablets as "an elementary part of military discipline".

In Telegram, Kadyrov (he has always sported a beard) dwelt on the role of his troops in Russia's war in Ukraine and wrote in relation to the issue raised: "Apparently Lieutenant General Viktor Sobolev has a lot of free time...as he has nothing to do , except to re-read the military code of conduct".

An authoritative media announces a "serious offensive of the Russian army"

Kadyrov called Sobolev's comments a "blatant provocation" and said his soldiers, mostly Muslim, wear beards as part of their religious duty.

Wagner boss Prigozhin, whose rift with the defense leadership has become even more public in the past week, called Sobolev's comments "absurd" and "archaisms from the 1960s".

Kadyrov and Prigozhin, whose forces in Ukraine operate largely autonomously from the high command, have become more outspoken in their criticism of the Russian military leadership after Moscow's armies suffered a series of defeats in the fall. 

Russian invasion of Ukraine

beard

band "Wagner"

Ramazan Kadyrov