Read time:1 minute, 30 seconds

The Ukrainian armed forces have confirmed the death of the pro-Putin Chechen general who played a leading part in Chechnya’s “anti-gay purge”. General Magomed Tushayev, who led the 141 motorised regiment of the Chechen national guard, was shot by Ukrainian special forces during an assault on Antonov International Airport, north of Kyiv. 

Illia Ponomarenko, defence correspondent for Ukraine’s English-language newspaper The Kyiv Independent, tweeted, “Magomed Tushayev, one of Ramzan Kadyrov’s top warlords, has been killed in action in Hostomel. Ukraine’s elite Alpha Group is reportedly fighting Chechens in the airfield.” 

General Tushayev’s death has been confirmed by the Ukrainian military, who tweeted, “Magomed Tushayev, leader of the 141 motorized regiment of the Chechen National Guard, was killed!.”

General Tushayev is responsible for terrorising the LGBTQ+ community in the Russian region of Chechnya, playing a leading role in the illegal detention, torture, starvation and murder of hundreds of gay men. He has been accused of playing a central role in the May 2021 abduction of Ibragim Selimkhanov, a gay rights campaigner who was snatched from a Moscow metro station by four Chechen agents before being taken to the Chechen capital of Grozny.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell told The Jerusalem Post, “While I never rejoice at the killing of anyone, his death means one less mass murderer on the loose. Those who live by the sword should not be surprised if they die by the sword.  This will mean that he is no longer able to abduct, torture and kill Chechen LGBTs and dissidents, which is is a good thing.”

Chechen units within the Russian national guard are known for their brutality and have been deployed by President Putin in Syria, Georgia and, since 2014, in Ukraine’s Donbas region.

About the author

Newsdesk

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Close

Latest articles