Moment Putin crony Kadyrov performs bizarre standing pressups

This is the bizarre moment Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov started performing standing press-ups at a BRICS meeting in an apparent attempt to impress ministers with his strength. 

Video footage taken from an informal meeting between Putin and the president of the UAE at the BRICS summit, where the Russian leader tried to woo the leaders of around two-dozen nations into deepening ties with his country, Kadyrov was seen leaning on two chairs and repeatedly doing leaned press-ups. 

After a few press-ups, he was seen looking around in an apparent bid for approval. 

But no one, including Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov who was also in attendance, seemed to be giving the bloodthirsty warlord the time of day, leaving him glumly leaning on two chairs.

This isn't the first time Kadyrov has been spotted desperately trying to prove his strength, amid rumours of his ailing health. 

Earlier this year, he released a series of clips as he seeks to prove his clean bill of health amid reports he is suffering from a terminal illness.

The Head of the Chechen Republic posted videos of himself at a gym along with his acolytes. 

He was shown in the gym with his closest cronies but the camera angles appeared to hide his bloated abdomen - and it was not clear when the clip was filmed. 

One comment by opposition channel Gulagu channel said: 'For whom did Ramzan decide to film this and why did he think that there were so many idiots around?

'It only takes a minute for any amateur athlete, not to mention a professional, to understand the level of Kadyrov's physical fitness - it's simply not good.'

He 'pushes and puffs with 7kg and 14kg dumbbells, used by young girls and aspiring teenagers to warm up,' Gulagu wrote. 

'It is obvious that the idea to film this video failed and its authors made Ramzan out to be a clown and a weakling.'

That same week, he was seen speaking slowly in a monotone to his top aides - many of them uniformed - in a video released to show he was in control.

But his rambling words seemed deeply confused and his underlings appeared embarrassed as he demanded every person should be armed and ready to defend Russia.

'It doesn't matter whether you are a policeman, emergency worker, justice, judge - every person must own a weapon,' he said.

'He must know that at any time he must go to combat positions, to defend the Motherland.

'When the Motherland calls, everyone must stand guard over our state.'

His puzzling gibberish went on: 'There is the Prosecutor's Office, there is the Investigative Committee, so that they train their own, to work together with the headquarters.

'The Supreme Commander-in-Chief [dictator Vladimir Putin], commanders, defence ministers know this HQ. And they thank us for putting such a system in [Chechnya].

'We support our men who fight for the truth, for religion, for the people, for human values.

'I ask once again that you not only deal with internal, Chechen issues, but also deal with new territories [invaded Ukraine], as instructed by the President.'

Kadyrov - a father of at least 14, who is believed to have three wives in a polygamous set-up - has lately been handing out honours to his children, some of whom occupy key government positions.

In a madcap move in November 2022, he appointed his then 15-year-old son Adam as the head of his security service comprising hundreds of armed operatives.

But Putin is rumoured to have earmarked a military commander loyal to Kadyrov as his successor - Major-General Apti Alaudinov, 50.

Kadyrov is one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies who has supplied tens of thousands of troops for his illegal war in Ukraine.