On June 23, 2025, Apti Alaudinov, Deputy Head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense, commander of the Akhmat special forces, and assistant to the head of Chechnya, was officially placed on Ukraine’s wanted list, facing charges of “encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine.”

In its announcement, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated that Alaudinov had been wanted since March 2022, with a court order issued for his “arrest for the purpose of bringing him to justice” as a preventive measure.

In response, Alaudinov declared that the SBU’s decision to place him on the wanted list only confirmed he was on what he called the right path. “What can I say about the SBU putting me on the wanted list? I can confidently and proudly say that this is further proof that I am not just living on this earth for nothing, which means I am on the right path,” Alaudinov stated.

Apti Aronovich Alaudinov is a high-ranking Russian-Chechen military leader closely tied to Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov and a prominent figure in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In July 2022, Alaudinov was appointed Secretary of the Chechen Security Council and later took command of the “Akhmat” special forces unit. Promoted to major general, he became Deputy Head of Russia’s Main Military-Political Directorate in April 2024 while retaining command of Akhmat. Alaudinov has led fighters in several major operations, including in the Kharkiv and Kursk regions, and was vocal during the Battle of Bakhmut. In early 2023, he survived a poisoning attempt via a letter containing a toxin, underscoring his prominence.