On 22 May, the delegation of the unrecognised Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, headed by Prime Minister in exile Akhmed Zakayev, met in Kyiv with representatives of the relevant defence committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko, the head of the Crimean Tatar movement banned in Russia, Mustafa Dzhemilev, as well as Chechen fighters in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"Our delegation arrived in Kyiv a few days ago, we had a very rich program - both official meetings and confidential ones, which I cannot talk about. We arrived here not only to show solidarity with the leadership of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in this war, but also to offer support from our side on many issues. They are currently under discussion," Akhmed Zakayev said. The Chechen politician emphasised that at the moment, together with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, he had determined strategic goals for interaction. "As a result of this war, the world and Russia will change. And in this situation, it is very important for us to lay the foundation for a common platform for European integration - both for Ukraine and Ichkeria," Zakayev said.

The politician also stressed that the Ukrainian leadership and the Ukrainian people clearly separate the Chechens and the Kadyrovites actively used by Russian propaganda thanks to the statement of the government of Ichkeria.

In September 2021, the head of Chechnya promised to burn Akhmed Zakayev, who lives in the United Kingdom. Kadyrov said that Zakayev promised to return to Chechnya but did not keep his word. At the end of January, after Zakayev's appeal in support of those killed by the security forces in Qatar-Yurt, the State Duma deputy from Chechnya Shamsail Saraliev demanded Zakayev’s extradition. In March, investigators in Chechnya opened a criminal case against Zakayev under the article on justifying terrorism. The United Kingdom refused to extradite Zakayev, who has been granted political asylum, and is unlikely to agree to extradition on charges of justifying terrorism, a claim that is dubious for the British legal system. Kadyrov accused Zakayev of not keeping his promise to return to Chechnya with his comrades. He also called Zakayev a traitor, citing the opinion of Aslan Maskhadov. Then Kadyrov said that he was not going to kill his critics, who "receive political asylum in different countries" after the threats. "We need you alive, healthy. We will bring you home and bring you to your knees in front of people. Do not die yet, beware of the coronavirus there," he said.

Akhmed Zakayev was a participant of the first and second Chechen wars, special representative of Aslan Maskhadov in the West (2001) and Prime Minister of Ichkeria (2007-2009). Russian officials put him on the international wanted list on terrorism charges and received political asylum in the UK. In February 2009, Ramzan Kadyrov invited Zakayev to return to Chechnya. On February 6, Chechen State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov indicated that attempts to extradite Zakayev would continue despite UK refusals. "We are not going to retreat and believe that he must be judged to the fullest extent of the law, therefore we call on European organisations to assist in extraditing the criminal. He must be held accountable for publicly supporting the militants and promoting terrorist actions in the Russian Federation," Delimkhanov said on February 6th.

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is an unrecognised separatist state entity (1991-2000), created after the collapse of the USSR on part of the territory of the former Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and liquidated by federal troops during the second Chechen campaign. The authorities of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria should not be confused with the organisation "Congress of the Peoples of Ichkeria and Dagestan" banned and been recognised as a terrorist group by the Russian court.