Lawyer Denis Shapiro, who also serves as deputy commander of the Akhmat special forces, told the agency RIA News that he has filed a formal report with Russia’s Investigative Committee. The submission requests the initiation of criminal proceedings for alleged incitement of ethnic hatred and for discrediting the Russian army. The case stems from voice messages circulating on a Telegram channel that purportedly describe an inter-ethnic clash within the Akhmat special forces along ethnic lines, according to Shapiro. (RIA News)
In a statement shared with authorities, Shapiro explained that he sent the document via email to General of Justice Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin and urged the opening of a criminal probe over alleged attempts to inflame ethnic hostility and to tarnish the image of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. He further indicated that he had reached out to Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, requesting personal supervision of the investigation. (RIA News)
Shapiro argued that the described actions could be viewed as public efforts to undermine the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, pointing to Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation as the legal basis for the claim. He noted that the article allows for a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison. He stressed that the information spread on the Telegram channel was false and defamatory towards the Armed Forces, and specifically toward the Akhmat special forces, which operate as part of the second corps of the Ministry of Defense. (RIA News)
According to Shapiro, the voice messages are not only misleading but were created by individuals who are said to be acting in the interests of the Ukrainian army, with the aim of provoking friction within the Russian contingent during ongoing combat operations. He emphasized the need for law enforcement to identify all participants in what he called a reprehensible act and to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding the matter. (RIA News)
Akhmat special forces commander Apta Alaudinov told RIA Novosti that every soldier in his unit is regarded as an equal regardless of nationality. He described the personnel as true patriots who bravely carry out their duties, stressing that the unit includes Russians, Chechens, Buryats and people from other national backgrounds. These remarks were given in the context of addressing the broader issue of unity and discipline within the force. (RIA Novosti)
Earlier reports in Chechnya noted a policy change regarding foreign passports issued to young people under thirty who travel without parental accompaniment, marking a separate administrative measure affecting the region. (RIA Novosti)