Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, claims that he has plans to found his own private military firm one day that would resemble the Wagner mercenary force.
Kadyrov claimed in a Telegram message on Sunday that the Wagner Group, which has been fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, had achieved "amazing achievements" and that private military organisations were a requirement.
"We can definitely declare that Wagner has demonstrated its military mettle and placed a line under questions about whether or not such private military organisations are required," said Kadyrov, who has headed the Chechen Republic since 2007.
"When my duty to the state is over, I truly intend to compete with our beloved brother Yevgeny Prigozhin and establish a private military firm," Kadyrov, 46, stated. "I believe it will all work out."
In Ukraine, Kadyrov and Prigozhin command forces that mostly act independently of Russia's military authority.
Both men are Putin supporters, although they have publicly criticised Russia's military leadership.
The emergence of Wagner outside of established Russian military command systems has alarmed Western officials, who fear that such organisations might one day threaten Russian stability.
The Wagner Group has been more prominent in Russia's battle in Ukraine, conducting a months-long attack on Bakhmut in the Donetsk region's east.
Kadyrov, the son of assassinated former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov in a 2004 explosion in Grozny, has developed an unspoken partnership with Prigozhin. They have been ratcheting up their criticism of Russia's military brass and urging for a more aggressive military campaign.