Chechen-born influencer Murad Dadaev, known in Germany as Noah Krieger, says he intends to recruit German citizens for a Russian unit specialising in counter-drone operations. The proposed formation has not been independently verified, while his own formal status in the Russian armed forces remains unclear.
A former Alternative for Germany activist with documented links to senior officials and security figures in Chechnya has announced plans to establish a Russian military unit composed of German citizens.
Murad Dadaev, a Chechen-born German citizen who uses the name Noah Krieger, said the proposed “Krieger” battalion would primarily conduct counter-drone operations rather than serve directly on the front line.
In an Instagram statement reported on 16 July, Dadaev invited prospective recruits to travel to Russia to discuss joining the formation. He said knowledge of German was desirable and previous combat experience would be considered an advantage.
Dadaev claimed the unit would accept members regardless of nationality, religion or political affiliation, while setting other ideological and personal conditions. He described its intended participants as people who supported what he called German values and culture.
There is, however, no independent evidence that the battalion has been established, received official approval, recruited personnel or been incorporated into the Russian armed forces. Its proposed strength and command structure have not been disclosed.
Dadaev accompanied his recruitment material with the words “Gott mit uns” — “God with us”. The phrase originated as a Prussian military motto and appeared on German military belt buckles during the Second World War.
In another publication, he used “Meine Ehre heißt Treue” — “My honour is loyalty” — the motto of the SS. The SS was declared a criminal organisation by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, subject to limited exceptions for people who had been forcibly conscripted and had committed no crimes.
The use of these slogans is particularly notable because Moscow has repeatedly presented its war against Ukraine as a campaign of “denazification”. Dadaev’s material combines Russian military imagery with phrases closely associated with Nazi Germany’s armed and security organisations.
Appearance in occupied Ukraine
Dadaev had previously said that he was participating in Russia’s war against Ukraine. He published photographs and videos showing himself carrying a weapon and wearing military clothing. Some posts appeared to have been recorded in Russian-occupied parts of the Donetsk region, including Avdiivka and Bakhmut.
It remains unconfirmed whether he has signed a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry or another Russian military formation. Earlier reporting found that he had travelled with personnel connected to an Akhmat unit, but images of a person in uniform are not by themselves evidence of formal enlistment.
Dadaev also published a photograph of a medal and accompanying certificate bearing the name Noah Wolf Krieger. According to the document, a commander of a unit identified as “Storm” awarded it under an order dated 1 July. The medal shown appears to be an award established by the Russian veterans’ organisation Combat Brotherhood rather than a state decoration.
AfD role and Chechen connections
Dadaev was born in the Chechen village of Samashki and later moved to Germany. He became a prominent pro-AfD social-media influencer, attracting approximately 400,000 Instagram followers.
Contrary to some descriptions circulating online, investigative reporting found that he never held an official political post. He was therefore not a local deputy, although he participated in AfD political activity in Hanover and hosted meetings involving party members.
The AfD’s Lower Saxony branch announced exclusion proceedings against him following reporting about his relationships with figures close to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Chechnya. Available reporting differs over whether that process was formally completed.
During a visit to Chechnya, Dadaev attended a session of the regional parliament, undertook firearms training and met senior officials and security personnel. His instructor was identified as police officer Khusen Alkhanov, described by investigators as a Kadyrov associate.
Dadaev also gave Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Akhmed Dudayev a Luftwaffe-era dagger displaying a swastika. In another recording, Zamid Chalayev, commander of a Chechen police regiment named after Akhmat Kadyrov, called Dadaev an “agent 007” whose cover story had supposedly been prepared for ten years. Dadaev said the remark was a joke.
He left Germany for Russia after a custodial sentence of two years and four months for offences reportedly including serious bodily harm, hostage-taking and coercion became final in August 2025. Published accounts do not establish that he was deported; they indicate that he departed Germany more than six months after the judgment.
The “Krieger” announcement therefore remains, at this stage, an unverified recruitment proposal promoted through social media by a former AfD activist whose exact position within Russia’s military structure has not been established.
