Ukraine War: Organized Neo-Nazi Groups Fight for Russia

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Russian Soldiers in the Ilyich Mariupol Iron and Steel Works Area: Support from the Right?

Photo: Uncredited / dpa

Numerous Russian right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis have apparently joined Russia's attack on Ukraine.

This emerges from a confidential report by the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), which SPIEGEL was able to see.

The seven-page document was sent to several federal ministries last week.

According to the BND, the "Russian Imperial League" and the group "Rusich" are "at least two groups with right-wing extremist sentiment" fighting against the Ukrainian army.

In addition, Moscow is using at least one right-wing extremist "individual for its own purposes," according to the paper.

The cooperation with these groups leads "the alleged reason for the war of the so-called 'denazification' of the Ukraine ad absurdum," write the analysts of the German foreign intelligence service.

The document gives no information about the number of right-wing extremist fighters.

However, groupings and units are named.

Accordingly, the »Russian Imperial Legion« (RIL), the paramilitary arm of the right-wing extremist group »Russian Imperial Movements«, has already intervened in the fighting.

After the group had already fought on the Russian side in Ukraine's Donbass in 2014 and 2015, RIL boss Denis Garieyev wrote on Telegram just a day after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022: »There is no doubt that we are talking for the liquidation of the separatist entity Ukraine.«

Looking for neo-Nazis with military experience

After Gariev had called on the "legionnaires" to be patient at the beginning of March, RIL shortly afterwards announced its decision to engage in combat operations.

According to the BND document, "mainly people with military experience" and graduates of the organization's own training center "Partizan" in St. Petersburg were recruited as fighters.

It is unclear "whether this decision was made at the request of or in consultation with the Russian leadership," the BND analysts continue.

As the BND reports, Gariyev's deputy died in fighting in Ukraine.

Gariyev himself was flown out injured, and at least two other right-wing extremists were seriously wounded.

Possible contacts to the »Wagner« group

The "Rusich" group is also said to be involved in the fighting.

In many places it is attributed to the notorious Russian mercenary group »Wagner« and was also deployed in Donbass in 2014 and 2015.

According to the BND report, Rusich had been "known for her particular brutality" ever since.

She had a reputation for "never taking prisoners."

Parts of the unit would probably also have fought in Syria.

Rusich is said to have become part of the hostilities on Ukrainian territory by the beginning of April at the latest, the German secret service officials write.

Atrocities involving puppies

One of the two Rusich founders is considered a sadist "since he killed a puppy in an appearance on social media," says the document.

To prove the right-wing extremist background of the organization, the BND analysts included pictures of the Rusich founders Alexej M. and Jan P. in their report: One picture shows M. with a swastika flag, another shows P. in front of a campfire with the Hitler salute.

In addition, the right-wing extremist Alexander M. from Donetsk tried to recruit volunteers for the war via Telegram in April: it was decided to set up a battalion to support pro-Russian and Russian forces.

M. himself had fought on the Russian side in Donbass in the past.

He is known to a larger audience in Russia as a military correspondent for the Russian state television station »Pervyy Kanal«.