Russian military TV channel reports Chechen lawmaker injured as questions about his whereabouts abound

Update: Ramzan Kadyrov insisted on Telegram Wednesday afternoon that he spoke to Adam Delimkhanov and that the lawmaker is “alive and well” and “not even injured.” He then rebuked the Ukrainian media for “blatantly lying” about Delimkhanov’s condition.

Citing the State Duma’s press service, the Russian Defense Ministry’s TV channel Zvezda reported Wednesday that Adam Delimkhanov, a State Duma deputy from Chechnya, has been injured “but is alive.” The channel didn’t say where or when the alleged injury occurred.

Earlier, Ukrainian political scientist and volunteer soldier Kyrylo Sazonov wrote on Facebook that Delimkhanov’s motorcade came under shellfire in the Zaporizhzhia region and that about 200 people were killed. Sazonov said the Russian military transported the bodies out in helicopters in order to keep the attack a secret. This information has not been verified.

On Telegram, Chechnya Governor Ramzan Kadyrov reported that Delimkhanov was not answering his phone. He promised a “generous reward” to anyone from Ukrainian intelligence who provides information about where the strike occurred, referring to Delimkhanov as “my dear BROTHER.”

State Duma Deputy Dmitry Kuznetsov, in turn, quoted Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin as saying that Delimkhanov was still alive: “Volodin said roughly the following about our colleague: ‘I just spoke to Adam Delimkhanov. He’s alive and healthy.’”

On June 13, Kadyrov wrote on Telegram that Delimkhanov had attended a meeting in the Belgorod region on Kadyrov’s behalf.