Feared Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov took his rifle-toting son, 14, to war when he lead Russia's bloody assault on Mariupol, it has emerged.
The boy, named Adam, is seen in video footage donning military clothing while being given a tour of a hospital by his autocrat father - a close ally of Vladimir Putin - in the ravaged Ukrainian port city.
Kadyrov, 45, said he wanted his son, who is one of 12 children, 'to learn first hand about the successes and needs of our comrades-in-arms', and also made clear he disagrees with Russia's move to lessen the military pressure on Kyiv, instead vowing to lead an invasion of the capital.
In one sequence the child, dressed in dark green military fatigues, is shown with his father visiting the hospital bedside of Kadryrov's henchman commander Ruslan Geremeyev.
Geremeyev is a suspect in the murder of Russian liberal politician Boris Nemtsov, a leading Putin foe and former deputy prime minister, gunned down close to the Kremlin in 2015.
Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured) said he wanted his son, who is one of 12 children, 'to learn first hand about the successes and needs of our comrades-in-arms'
The boy, named Adam, is seen in video footage donning military clothing while being given a tour of a hospital by his autocrat father (pictured together) - a close ally of Vladimir Putin - in the ravaged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol
In one sequence the child, dressed in dark green military fatigues (pictured), is shown with his father visiting the hospital bedside Kadryrov's henchman commander Ruslan Geremeyev.
Ruslan Geremeyev (pictured) is a suspect in the murder of Russian liberal politician Boris Nemtsov, a leading Putin foe and former deputy prime minister, gunned down close to the Kremlin in 2015.
Kadyrov was seen introducing the boy (pictured) to the Russian army general, saying: 'Here is my Adam'.
Even the Russian FSB - once headed by Putin - has been unable to locate and quiz Geremeyev over the political assassination, say reports.
Geremeyev sustained relatively minor injuries in fighting Ukrainian defenders, according to Chechen TV.
Kadryrov - accused of using medieval torture on his enemies in Chechnya - has been called 'the son Putin never had' for his devout loyalty to the Kremlin leader.
The Chechen supremo - this week promoted to the rank of Lt-General in the Russian national guard - for the second day claimed that he had met and been briefed by Andrey Mordvichev, one of the senior commanders that the Ukrainians claimed to have killed earlier this month.
Kadyrov was seen introducing the boy to the Russian army general, saying: 'Here is my Adam'.
Mordvichev replies: 'Hi, well done!'
Kadyrov tells him: 'Adam is 13.'
Ramzan Kadyrov performs a prayer at a petrol station during a visit to war-torn Mariupol
