This month, several senior officials in Russia's republic of Chechnya have been reshuffled or replaced. Meanwhile, strongman ruler Ramzan Kadyrov's children have been appointed to a number of government posts. Overshadowing all this are reports that Kadyrov, 47, is gravely ill, fueling rumors about his ability to rule and the future of the republic, which fought two separatist wars against Moscow in the 1990s and 2000s.

Harold Chambers, an analyst focusing on nationalism, conflict and security in the North Caucasus, joins us to explain what it all means.