A fast-moving conflict has erupted in Russia between Chechen “Akhmat” units controlled by Ramzan Kadyrov and the neo-Nazi “Russian Community,” raising the prospect of a broader confrontation.
Amid the war against Ukraine, latent internal rifts in Russia are sharpening. A dispute between the Chechen “Akhmat” formation and the ultra-right “Russian Community” is rapidly intensifying.
An independent Russian outlet, “On the Zzzzz Western Front Without Change,” which monitors pro-war channels, drew attention to the clash.
The conflict flared between “Akhmat” commander Apti Alaudinov and far-right activist Maksim Divnich, quickly devolving into mutual accusations, threats and calls for violence. The “Russian Community” brought up what it called the “Kadyrovites’” wartime record: widespread looting, fleeing the Kursk region during a Ukrainian advance, avoiding frontline combat and more.
In response, members of “Akhmat” issued a video address that effectively threatened the Russian neo-Nazis, labeling them “hidden enemies” and urging law enforcement to step in.
“What is this person (Divnich) trying to achieve? To ignite the fire of revolution and an interethnic conflict behind our backs while we are fighting?” the Kadyrov-aligned group said.
Alaudinov demanded a public apology from Divnich; Divnich refused.
The “Russian Community” sided with Divnich.
“The campaign against Divnich benefits only the enemies of Russia and the Russian people. It is clear to everyone who was the aggressor and who defended local residents from boorish behavior,” the group said.
Representatives of the community also claimed the episode could be an attempt to suppress Russian Orthodox patriotic groups.
The widening dispute highlights deep fissures within Russia, where, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, competition is intensifying among Kremlin-loyal but rival factions. The clash between Kadyrov’s security men and neo-Nazis underscores how the Kremlin’s narrative of internal unity is increasingly fraying, heightening the risk of domestic instability.
