 Chechens pressured by authorities to fight in Ukraine. Authorities in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Chechnya have pressured Chechens to fight in Ukraine using money and force since the start of the war, according to a report published by the SKSOS Human Rights Organization, according to the Moscow Times. The invasion of Ukraine was another opportunity for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to curry favour with Vladimir Putin and show his influence in Chechnya, SKSOS wrote. But despite Kadyrov's efforts to rally support for the war in his region, in reality a year and a half of the war has looked completely different for Chechnya. Ridiculous propaganda, hunting for taxi drivers, missing passports, crowds of boastful marauders in Grozny, and fabulous fees for signing up for mercenaries. The group continued. Chechen security forces allegedly keep a database of individuals who have been detained in the past for drugs, alcohol, making unflattering statements about officials or being LGBT. Since the start of the war, security forces have threatened to send these people or their relatives to the front line, saying they will be sent to prison if they refuse to serve. The report says about 45 of approximately 70 people who were illegally held in one such prison were sent to fight in Ukraine during the Kremlin's partial mobilization campaign in the fall of 2022. Chechen police also raided establishments where potential conscripts could be found including cafes, gaming clubs, gyms and taxi companies. During the launch of the partial mobilization, the report said.