Putin praises Chechen fighters set for Ukraine in surprise visit to Chechnya

The trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin is his first to the predominantly Muslim republic within the Russian Federation in nearly 13 years.

Transcript

00:00Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to Chechnya, a mainly Muslim

00:09republic in the Russian Federation.

00:13The Kremlin leader is rallying military support as his forces face a stunning cross-border

00:20incursion by Ukraine in the Kursk region.

00:47Putin met Chechen special forces that are training to potentially take part in the conflict.

00:55The Chechen leader said on telegram that more than 47,000 fighters, including volunteers,

01:03have been training at a special military academy since the full invasion of Ukraine began.

01:10Fighters from Chechnya, whose bid for independence after the Soviet Union's collapse led to years

01:16of war with Russia, are already participating on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine.