Investigative journalists have uncovered that a private jet long suspected of belonging to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is actually registered to his cousin, following a data leak by Russian authorities. The incident occurred on May 20 when Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency briefly published ownership records for an Airbus A319-133, before quickly pulling them offline. However, screenshots taken by reporters revealed the jet is owned by Shakruddi Edilgiriev, a little-known relative of Kadyrov.
Edilgiriev, who has kept a low public profile, previously managed the central market in Grozny and drew a government salary in 2020. It remains unclear how he could afford the aircraft, valued at approximately $89 million in 2013. The leak also showed that in December 2022, Edilgiriev purchased a villa on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah for $14.4 million, according to leaked property data from the United Arab Emirates.
Flight tracking data over recent years shows the jet has made trips that align with Kadyrov’s official visits. In November 2024, it traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan, during a visit by his daughter. In October 2024, Kadyrov himself posted footage of stepping off the plane during a reception in Bahrain. The jet also went to Turkey in September 2024, coinciding with a reported visit by the Chechen leader.
Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya since 2007, faces widespread accusations of human rights abuses, including torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings, according to groups like the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights. Reporters were unable to reach Edilgiriev for comment.