THE INVOLVEMENT OF
RADICALS AND
NEO-NAZIS IN RUSSIA’S WAR
AGAINST UKRAINE
Russian involvement in Ukraine is widely supported both in Russia and outside
of by various radical, neo-Nazi, fascist and Stalinist groups. Amongst the Russiabacked militants fighting in the Donbass, there are many who belong to such
organizations, or personally express their radical and fascist convictions. The war
gives such people an opportunity to indulge in brutality, crime and violent promotion
of their views. Within Russia itself, those radicals who did not join the fighting,
demonstrate their support of the “DPR” and the “LPR” through massive rallies and
various public events. They also seek the support of neo-Nazi groups from other
countries, mainly from Europe, and invite the latter to take part in different events
related to the war in the Donbass (including the so-called “elections” in the “DPR”
and “LPR” in November 2014, and the nationalist International Russian Conservative
Forum in St. Petersburg, which took place on March 22, 2015).
On May 1, 2014, Ukraine’s border
patrol apprehended a 22 year old
Russian citizen (left), who was
inciting anti-Ukrainian protests. He
was a member of the neo-Nazi group
Slavyane. When caught, an SS knife
was found in his possession.1
Alexander Matyushin, who is one of the founders
of the “DPR” was a member of a skinhead gang in
Donetsk and now is the commander of the battalion
Varyag. He promotes a racial theory, according to
which Russians have to fight Ukrainians, because
the latter, according to him, are not Slavic by
race. The name Varyag was also used for an SS
battalion during WWII, which consisted of Russian
volunteers.2
Serghey
Zinchenko,
who now fights in
the Donbass, was a
member of the Russian
neo-Nazi organization
Russkiy Obraz. You
can also see its symbol
on his arm.3
Svyatoslav Pavlov, currently fighting for the “LPR”, in fact
officially works in the Russian police (The Ministry of the
Internal Affairs). However, he was also a member of a fascist
organization The Slavic Union.4
A neo-Nazi Anton Raevski, who is
fighting for the Russia-backed militants
in the Donbass. Left is his “DPR”
military ID, right he is seen with tattoos
of a swastika and a portrait of Hitler
inked on his body, and left above, he is
sitting on a tank saying “To Kiev”. The
black-yellow-white flag is the so-called
Russian imperial flag, used by radical
nationalists in Russia.5
Alexey Milchakov is one of the most notorious figures. Before he went to Ukraine, he
was a fervent neo-Nazi living in St. Petersburg. He was also known for sadistic treatment
of animals: brutally killing dogs in front of a camera with a knife, and then proudly posting
the images on the internet.
In Donbass, Milchakov became the leader of the Rusich detachment, and was often
seen involved in sadistic activities: mutilating corpses of Ukrainian soldiers, taking pictures
with their body parts, and even cutting out on their faces slavic swastikas (kolovrats).
Although well documented, these pictures are not presented in this exhibition, because
they are extremely disturbing and graphic.6
On November, 12, 2014 an interview was
published with Milchakov, where he said that
“my mom told me, that I should kill even
more”.7
Milchakov with his mother, Natalia
Milchakova.9
The social network page of
Natalia Milchakova, his mother,
features a photograph from her
youth wearing an SS uniform
(she most likely had access to
this uniform from the Russian
Academy of Theatre and Arts,
from which she graduated)
Her social network page is
full of extreme anti-Semetic
statements.8
Kirill Rimkus, a neo-Nazi
from St. Petersburg,
now fighting for the
“LPR”.10
Yevgeniy Ponomaryov,
known for taking over the
police headquarters in
Kramatorsk, is a member
of a radical monarchist
organization of imperial
cossacks.11
Yulia Kharlamova (aka Tselinskaya, aka Nordika) is a radical neo-Nazi from
Russia. She served in the Russian army (elite airborne forces), and fought (and
currently does, as of May 30, 2015) in the Donbass. Also appeared on the proKremlin Abkhaz TV channel Anna News, which as its main subject promotes
the Russia-backed militants in Ukraine. Participated in Milchakov’s Rusich
battalion.12
Kharlamova in the Russian army.
Kharlamova in the Donbass, May 28, 2015 with
members of the Rusich battalion.
On June 14, 2015, Ukrainian soldiers captured Roman
Tolstokorov, a Russian national fighting for the “DPR”,
who had tattoos of a swastika and the Nazi Reichsadler.
He was in the possession of his Russian passport at the
time of apprehension.13
During the so-called “referendum” in Crimea,
a number of notorious right-wing politicians
from Europe came as observers, pretending
to be members of the OSCE. The Russian
state controlled news channels showed the
fake “election monitors” and stated they were
members of the OSCE.14
November 2, 2014. The so-called “elections” took
place in the self-proclaimed “DPR”. Many of the
“election monitors”, either from Russia or from several
other countries, were radical right wing or neo-Nazi
activists.16
The press conference of the international “observes” in
the Donbass, 1 November 2014. Second from the left
is Alessandro Musolino (Forza Italia, Italian right wing
patry), third is Ewald Stadler (Die Reformkonservativen,
Austrian right wing party).17
Belgian radical nationalist Luc Michel, the head
of the Eurasian Observatory for Democracy and
Elections (EODE) (a far-right NGO), in Crimea.
He is known for his endeavours to unite both
extreme left (National Bolshevisks) and extreme
right (neo-Nazis) in the fight against Zionism and
the United States. The caption reads: “Organizer
of the OSCE observation mission in Crimea”15
Fabrice Beaur, from the
extreme right Belgian
Parti Communautaire
National-Européen.18
The “head” of the “DPR” Aleksander
Zakharchenko and Mateusz Piskorski,
1 November 2014, Donetsk.19
Marton Gyongyosi, a Hungarian radical
politician, known for proposing to draft
an official list of Jews in the government,
all of whom to be labeled as dangerous.
Member of the far right party Jobbik.21
Mateusz Piskorski, a Polish radical
activist, who was first a supporter of
National Socialism, and then of extreme
left and Marxism.20
Frank Creyelman, member of
the Belgian extreme right wing
party Flemish Interest, known
for its proposal to offer amnesty
to WWII Nazi collaborators.22
On May 11, 2015, an international forum took place in Donetsk under the guidance of the Russia-backed militants
and their leader A. Zakharchenko, Donbass: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, which featured as its key participants
mainly European far right activists.23
Manuel Ochsenreiter, a German extreme
right journalist, the chief editor of the
radical magazine Zuerst!.24
Alessandro Musolino, an Italian nationalist from the
Forza Italia party.26
Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, a member of
the french far right political coalition
Rassemblement bleu Marine, which was
created by Marine Le Pen.25
February 3, 2015. At a press conference, the leaders of the “DPR” and “LPR” Zakharchenko and
Plotnitsky ended their interview with anti-Semitic remarks. Zakharchenko: “I can’t remember, that
at any time in Ukrainian history, cossacks were ruled by, well, not exactly those people, who ever
carried a sword. Jews...” Plotnitsky, (interrupting, grinning): “There is a video on Youtube “When
the Jewish Cossacks have risen”, let them watch it”. Zakharchenko: “It’s not Jewish Cossacks,
it’s miserable representatives of a great people, but they never ruled over cossacks. Taras Bulba
and Taras Shevchenko would be turning in their graves because of such rulers in Ukraine.”27
A number of organizations have condemned this statement. Abraham H. Foxman, National
Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), said that “Those watching understood very well
that this was an anti-Semitic appeal,”28
The National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry (NCSEJ) stated that “These statements
and similar statements made by other pro-Russian rebel leaders in Ukraine are classic anti-Semitic
rhetoric, aimed at inciting ethnic and religious hatred.”29
On March 22, 2015, the International Russian Conservative Forum took place in St. Petersburg,
Russia, the main participants of which were largely neo-Nazi and extreme right parties and groups from
various countries (for details, please see the corresponding section in the Timeline, The International
Russian Conservative Forum).
At the forum, the notorious militant from the Donbass
Alexey Milchakov (mentioned above as a neo-Nazi
practicing sadist activities), is seen giving a chevron with
the symbol of his Rusich battalion to American radical
racist activist Jared Taylor, the author a number of books
including White Identity: Racial Consciousness in the
21st Century.30
Milchakov also gave a chevron to Jens Pühse from the
Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands, (NPD) which is
a German neo-Nazi party.31
The symbol of the Rusich battalion features a version
of swastika used by Slavic neo-Nazis, the so-called
kolovrat.32
Notes
1.
Dpsu.gov.ua. “На Луганщині прикордонники виявили російського неонациста з антиукраїнськими агітаційними
листівками” (In Luganschina, Border Patrol identified a Russian neo-Nazi with anti-Ukrainian propaganda leaflets.) http://dpsu.gov.
ua/ua/about/news/news_3967.htm (accessed July 26, 2015).
2.
Timeua.com. “’ДНР’ Создавали еще в Середине 2000-х” (The “DPR” was being created back in the mid-2000’s) http://timeua.com/news/2/32495.html (accessed July 26, 2015).
3.
67viktor.livejournal.com “Про “рашистов антифашистов” на Донбассе” (About the ‘russiasts anti-fascists’ in the Donbass) http://67viktor.livejournal.com/52683.html (accessed July 26, 2015).
4.
Ibid.
5.
Odessa-life.od.ua. “Побузивший в Одессе российский фашист теперь воюет на Донбассе” (A Russian Fascist, who
rampaged in Odessa, is now Fighting in the Donbass) http://odessa-life.od.ua/news/20900-pobuzivshii-v-odesse-rossiiskii-fashistteper-voyuet-na-donbasse-foto (accessed July 26, 2015).
6.
Dokaz.org.ua. “Террористы ЛНР отрезали убитым уши и клеймили их лицах свастикой “ (The “LPR” Terrorists cut
off ears and branded corpses with Swastikas) http://www.dokaz.org.ua/террористы-лнр-отрезали-убитым-уши-и-к/#.VbVPZPlipWC
(accessed July 26, 2015).
7.
Censor.net.ua. “’Мама благословила убивать больше’, - российский неофашист, садист и боевик ЛНР Алексей”
(“Mom has blessed me to kill more.” – Russian neo-fascist, sadist and “LPR” militant Alexey Milchakov). http://censor.net.ua/video_news/311527/mama_blagoslovila_ubivat_bolshe_rossiyiskiyi_neofashist_sadist_i_boevik_lnr_alekseyi_milchakov_video (accessed
July 26, 2015).
8.
Uglich-jj.livejournal.com. “Семейка нациков” (A Family of Nazis) http://uglich-jj.livejournal.com/84710.html (accessed
July 26, 2015).
9.
Ibid.
10. 67viktor.livejournal.com. “Про “рашистов антифашистов” на Донбассе” (About the ‘Russiasts Anti-fascists’ in the
Donbass) http://67viktor.livejournal.com/52683.html (accessed July 26, 2015).
11. Ibid.
12. Psb4ukr.org. “TSelinskaya (TSilinskaya, Harlamova, Tarnovskaya) YUliya Mihajlovna”. https://psb4ukr.org/criminal/
celinskaya-cilinskaya-xarlamova-tarnovskaya-yuliya-mixajlovna/ (accessed July 26, 2015).
13. Belsat.eu. “Ukrainian forces capture Nazi-tattooed Russian mercenary in Shyrokyne” https://belsat.eu/en/articles/
ukrainian-forces-capture-nazi-tattooed-russian-mercenary-shyrokyne/ (accessed July 26, 2015).
14. Stopfake.org. “Fake Monitors “Observe” fake Elections in the Donbas”. http://www.stopfake.org/en/fake-monitorsobserve-fake-elections-in-the-donbas/ (accessed July 26, 2015).
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.
20. Khpg.org. “The Crimean referendum’s neo-Nazi observers”. http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1394946269. (accessed July 26, 2015).
21. Reuters.com. “Anger as Hungary far-right leader demands lists of Jews” http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/27/us-hungary-antisemitism-idUSBRE8AQ0L920121127 (accessed July 26, 2015).
22. Nbcnews.com. “Nazi collaboration stirs Belgian rift”. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43097868/ns/world_newseurope/t/nazi-collaboration-stirs-belgian-rift/#.VbWJ-flipWA (accessed July 26, 2015).
23. Uaposition.com. “European far right and pro-Russian politicians to visit Donbas” http://uaposition.com/european-farright-and-pro-russian-politicians-to-visit-donbas/ (accessed July 26, 2015).
24. Ibid.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Youtube.com. “Пресс-конференция Александра Захарченко и Игоря Плотницкого” (Press Conference of Aleksandr
Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TyN-eTrytw (accessed July 26, 2015).
28. Adl.org. “ADL Deeply Troubled By Anti-Semitic Appeal Made By Russian-Backed Ukrainian Separatists” http://www.
adl.org/press-center/press-releases/anti-semitism-international/adl-deeply-troubled-by-anti-semitic-appeal-made-by-russian-backedukrainian-separatist.html#.VbFQvvlViko (accessed July 26, 2015).
29. Myemail.constantcontact.com. “NCSEJ Condemns Ukraine Separatist’s Anti-Semitic Statements” http://myemail.
constantcontact.com/PRESS-RELEASE--NCSEJ-Condemns-Ukraine-Separatist-s-Anti-Semitic-Statements.html?soid=1101481238
099&aid=HYlK2iZGt48 (accessed July 26, 2015).
30. Uglich-jj.livejournal.com “Вся суть путинской РФ” (The Whole Essence of Putin’s Russia) http://uglich-jj.livejournal.
com/87997.html (accessed July 26, 2015).
31. Ibid.
32. Ibid.