Czech police have determined that the English Thoroughbred stallion Zazu, owned by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and previously reported stolen from a stable in the Czech Republic in 2023, was not actually stolen but was taken out of the EU with the owner’s consent. The horse, valued between $20,000 and $10 million depending on sources, is subject to EU sanctions prohibiting its sale or disposal. Authorities suspect the removal violated these sanctions and have ended criminal proceedings, transferring the case to administrative review. Investigations revealed Zazu likely left the EU via Poland, possibly heading to Chechnya, though the exact destination remains unconfirmed.

Kadyrov claimed on Telegram that Zazu had been abducted by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and later returned to him, even boasting about tricking the SBU into releasing the horse without payment. Czech police refute any involvement of Ukrainian entities in the case. Zazu, acquired by Kadyrov in 2012, had a successful racing career and was the subject of prior attempts to remove him from the Czech stable before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which were blocked due to sanctions. The case highlights complexities around enforcement of EU sanctions linked to high-profile individuals.