Editing Akhmed Zakayev (section)

===Increased activism amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine===
In 2022, Russia launched a [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|full invasion of Ukraine]]. At this point, several anti-Kadyrov Chechen militant groups like the [[Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion]] and the [[Sheikh Mansur Battalion]] were already fighting for Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 March 2022 |title='My MMA Gym Will Be Empty': Chechens Head to Ukraine to Fight Kadyrov|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/chechnya-fighters-ukraine-russia-ramzan-kadyrov/|author-last=Prothero |author-first=Mitchell |access-date=7 March 2022 |work=[[Vice Media]]}}</ref><ref name="theglobeandmail">{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-chechens-and-georgians-in-ukraine-preparing-to-continue-fight-against/|title=Chechens and Georgians in Ukraine preparing to continue fight against Putin on a new front|website=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=13 February 2022|access-date=7 March 2022|last1=MacKinnon|first1=Mark}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/03/jihadis-idlib-bash-chechen-leader-ramzan-kadyrov-role-ukraine-war|title = Jihadis in Idlib bash Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov for role in Ukraine war - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East|work=[[Al-Monitor]]|date=6 March 2022|accessdate=27 March 2022}}</ref> In May 2022, Zakayev travelled to Kyiv and met with Ukrainian officials for "confidential" talks.<ref name="caucasuswatch">{{Cite web |title=Leader of unrecognised Ichkeria met with officials in Ukraine |url=https://caucasuswatch.de/news/5435.html |website=Caucasus Watch |date=30 May 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022}}</ref> Later, the creation of the "[[Separate Special Purpose Battalion]] of the Chechen Republic's Armed Forces" was announced by Zakayev; this unit officially styled itself as the continuation of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. A fourth separatist unit, called "Khamzat Gelayev Joint Task Detachment" was also founded. As the Russo-Ukrainian War continued to escalate, the pro-Ukrainian Chechen separatists increasingly framed the war as a chance to restore the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chechen Fighters in Ukraine Set Sights on Homeland |url=https://jamestown.org/program/chechen-fighters-in-ukraine-set-sights-on-homeland/ |website=Jamestown Foundation |access-date=25 September 2022 |archive-date=13 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913141808/https://jamestown.org/program/chechen-fighters-in-ukraine-set-sights-on-homeland/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://uacrisis.org/en/ukraine-in-flames-162|title=Chechen batallions in Ukraine: Common fight against Russia|publisher=Ukraine Сrisis Media Center|date=19 August 2022}}</ref> On 18 October 2022, [[Verkhovna Rada|Ukraine's parliament]] recognized the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as "temporarily occupied" state.<ref name="yahoo">{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-recognizes-chechen-republic-ichkeria-154900042.html|title=Ukraine recognizes the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria|website=news.yahoo.com}}</ref><ref name="reuters">{{Cite web |title=Ukraine lawmakers brand Chechnya 'Russian-occupied' in dig at Kremlin |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-lawmakers-brand-chechnya-russian-occupied-dig-kremlin-2022-10-18/ |website=Reuters |date=18 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022}}</ref> Zakayev had lobbied in support of this resolution.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chechen Republic Representatives Call on Ukraine to Recognize Independence |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/chechen-republic-representatives-call-on-ukraine-to-recognize-independence.html |website=Kyiv Post |date=14 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022}}</ref>

In November 2023, the "[[Congress of the Peoples of the North Caucasus]]" (a political alliance of various northern Caucasus separatist groups) appointed Zakayev the head of its Defense Commission alongside Akhmad Akhmedov, Sheikh Mansur Battalion deputy commander. The Congress aims at coordinating the different separatist exiles to unite their efforts against Russia.{{sfn|Doukaev|2023}}