After two decades living in Flanders, Khuseyn Dzhambetov now shockingly works for Ramzan Kadyrov, Putin's 'Bloodhound'.
As reported by Nieuwsblad, Dzhambetov, a 41-year-old Chechen, switched sides after intially going to fight against the Russians in Ukraine last year.
Dzhambetov once ran a butchery in Belgium and was popular in his local community. Now, he is rubbing shoulders with individuals like Ramzan Kadyrov, one of Putin's most loyal followers, famously known for his brutal tactics.
A year ago, he told 'The Washington Post' about his plan to kill 50 Russians and then return to Flanders. Dzhambetov fought alongside the OBON battalion, a group of Chechen volunteers fighting on Ukraine's side. He became one of the group's figureheads. At the time of his service, he frequently appeared with Achmed Zakajev, leader of the self-proclaimed independent Chechen Republic Itchkerya and a known adversary of Moscow.
A complete 180
In a dramatic turn of events, Dzhambetov has recently returned to Grozny, the Chechen capital. From the headquarters of Kadyrov's military police, he has urged fellow Chechens to join Kadyrov and Putin, according to Nieuwsblad.
The significance of his defection was underscored when Kadyrov was seen embracing Dzhambetov on camera.
Ukrainians suspect Dzhambetov had always been a spy due to his compulsive need to photograph people in new gatherings and his apparent ease at killing Ukrainian soldiers, a boast he himself propagates.
Appearing in a video helmed by journalist Sonja van den Ende, Dzhambetov sent greetings to Belgium and the Netherlands but confirmed he’d not return, feeling freer in Chechnya.
Dzhambetov, who started the first Flemish halal butchery in Roeselare, was integrated into Belgian society and was naturalised in May 2010. His business tanked and went bankrupt shortly after his departure to Ukraine last year.
Whether the truth of his affiliation remains buried in the past, Dzhambetov's tale serves as a stark reminder of the political and social undercurrents of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
