Ramzan Kadyrov re-elected as Chechen leader with record vote share
Ramzan Kadyrov has been re-elected as head of Chechnya with a record 99.85% of the vote, Russia's election commission announced.
Ramzan Kadyrov has secured a fifth term as head of the Chechen Republic after official results showed him winning 99.85% of the vote. According to Russia's Central Election Commission, the outcome surpasses his previous record of 99.73% set in 2021. Two rival candidates reportedly received 0.05% of the vote each.
The regional vote coincided with Russia's nationwide parliamentary elections, which extended the tenure of the ruling United Russia party. Kadyrov, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has governed the North Caucasus region with sweeping authority since 2007.
Sources: Nova TV, OC Media, Українська правда
How outlets assessed this
- Sep 21, 2026, 04:00 PM UTC
- Українська правда Critical Framed the high vote percentage as artificially fabricated by Russian election officials.
- OC Media Neutral Reported the official results and Kadyrov's record victory within the broader context of Russian regional votes.
- Nova TV Neutral Covered the official election commission data factually, highlighting Kadyrov's fifth term and alliance with Vladimir Putin.