Kadyrov went to Baku, not Moscow — What prompted his visit to Azerbaijan?

There are no coincidences in geopolitical routes, especially when the Caucasus is concerned.

After being re-elected as head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov made his first official foreign visit directly to Baku rather than Moscow. The fact that the leader of one of the North Caucasus’s most significant political entities chose to visit the leading state of the South Caucasus before the Kremlin has naturally attracted attention.

So, what is so urgent on Grozny’s agenda with Baku, and how does Russia view this development?

Political affairs analyst Tamilla Gulami, commenting on the issue to TodayPress TV, believes that although the visit is politically intriguing, Kadyrov would not have taken this step without Putin’s approval:

“Despite all this, I do not view the issue solely through the prism of personal relations and close ties. Economic interests, regional cooperation and political messages also play an important role here.

“First of all, I would like to note that Azerbaijan is an important economic and humanitarian partner for Chechnya. In addition to being one of the region’s major transport and logistics hubs, Baku has extensive international ties and investment opportunities. For Grozny, expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan offers additional opportunities to develop trade, construction, investment and business ties. Azerbaijan’s experience is also of interest in terms of increasing Chechnya’s economic potential and promoting the region’s development.”

T. Gulami also noted that Kadyrov’s visit to Baku was interesting in terms of its political symbolism:

“The choice of destination for the first visit may, to some extent, indicate that the Chechen leadership wants to attach importance to relations with Azerbaijan. However, there is no basis for presenting this visit as a sign of discontent in relations with Moscow or as a political message directed against Russia’s central authorities. Chechnya is a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, and, as I noted above, Kadyrov’s political activities are generally closely linked to the Kremlin. Therefore, I do not believe it is appropriate to exaggerate the visit’s potential impact on relations with Moscow.

“Baku is interested in preserving regional stability, developing relations with neighbouring peoples and expanding economic cooperation in every possible way. I would particularly note that, despite all this, the tragic incident involving the Baku–Grozny aircraft crash remains one of the sensitive issues in Azerbaijan–Russia relations. I believe that, in this context, conducting dialogue based on mutual respect and strengthening trust are particularly important for the Grozny side.

“Let me reiterate that Grozny’s interest in Baku is primarily linked to economic partnership, regional ties and opportunities to enhance political influence. Kadyrov’s visit is therefore not merely a protocol event, but also a political step demonstrating the sides’ potential for cooperation. The key question now is whether this visit will translate into concrete economic and humanitarian outcomes.”

The analyst concluded by stressing the great importance of the visit to Azerbaijan for Chechnya, particularly given Azerbaijan’s growing position as a strong regional state.

Giymat Mahir