Russian Neo-Nazi Brigade Increasingly Focuses On Russian Domestic Politics, Criticizing Immigration And Rising Crime Rates: 'For Me, My Nation Comes First'

As military conflict in Ukraine continues, the war is becoming an important focus of public and political life in Russia. The Kremlin invests heavily in resources on the hostilities, including in mass media. However, the reverse is also true: After three years of war, thanks to social media, military units of the Russian army themselves are becoming political actors, speaking out on important issues of domestic and foreign policy. However, the death of the leader of one battalion two months after he criticized the conduct of the war in Ukraine and launched a rebellion, may indicate that the Kremlin is not pleased with any intrusion into its "political prerogative."

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One of the most popular units fighting in Ukraine recruits heavily from football fans and hooligans. The unit is very popular, having been featured on national news and its Telegram channel has attracted more than 100,000 subscribers. The brigade is fighting on the Chasov-Yar front.

The unit apparently enjoys a special status within the Russian Armed Forces (RAF). It is reportedly one of the best equipped and most advanced units of the RAF. The unit is able to allocate resources to research unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) technologies, to develop and improve commercial models (or those supplied under Defence Ministry contracts). Additionally, it has its own information and analytical centre which transmits reports for state news, cooperates with a hacker team and even enjoys its own foundation.

The servicemen eagerly give interviews to Russian newspapers and social media. For example, a popular Russian newspaper features an interview with the company's deputy commander." "[The commander] graduated from the Academy of Russian Ballet. Now she participates in shooting battles, carries 15 magazines in her ammunition and spends months on the front line," the article states. Then the interviewee recalls her recruitment: "If the Motherland is in danger, everyone goes to the front. I am from the [redacted] motorcycle club; I brought humanitarian aid [to the front]. My future commander, [redacted], recorded a video of gratitude. I recorded one in response, and then [he] told me: 'Come! <…> We will beat up the Khohols [racial slur for Ukrainians]!'"

The deputy commander of the assault company posing with the unit's banner. In an interview with a popular Russian newspaper, the servicewoman predicts the end of the war: "I believe that everything will be [part of] Russia. Except Kosovo. Kosovo is Serbia."

The commander of the unit is a convicted criminal and mixed martial arts performer. He has a controversial reputation (and his body is covered in neo-Nazi and nationalist tattoos). He provides interviews and his Telegram channel has 35,000 subscribers. Another serviceman, the brigade's reconnaissance commander gave an interview to a media outlet in which he was quoted as saying: "I still believe in the trinity of the Slavs. That Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians are brothers. But for me, my nation is primary."

A Telegram channel shows the veneration of the deceased commander of the unit. The images depict: the memorial plaque and honor guard; a cemetery with Russian Imperial flags, and the unit commander's friends and supporters holding the flag of the brigade.

In addition to engaging with the public as a unit, the brigade makes music videos and even held a music festival online promoting the unit's image and beliefs.

On February 27, 2025, the Telegram channel of the regiment published a call to provide help to Russian law enforcement agencies to protect the country's rear against migrants. The post starts with a contradictory statement: "[The unit] is a military organization; our concern is the security of the Motherland, our fellow citizens, relatives and friends. We are outside politics, but... While we are fighting external enemies, we need to be confident in the security of our rear."

The post focused on migrants in Russia, blaming non-Russian and corrupt Russian officials for undermining the security agencies' work in combating migrant crime. The unit notes that "Russia's cultural code" does not overlap with a foreign one, and the rejection Russian culture is at the root of the problem: "Our cultural code is built with politeness, integrity, love and patriotism - all of which we do not see at all in the behaviour of the diasporas as a whole, nor in the behaviour of their individual representatives."

The unit's use of anti-migrant rhetoric is part of its pledge to make every effort to help the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Security Service, the Investigative Committee of Russia and their heads "in the fight against the growing internal expansion of criminal cultures that are literally alien to us."

In a subsequent post, the unit commented on a massive road accident in St. Petersburg on February 28, 2025, during which the driver of bus No. 147, a non-Russian, lost control while making a turn and crashed into a public transport stop. The unit wrote: "We will not allow the expansion of lawlessness and irresponsibility towards Russia and Russians. We will not stand idly by, seeing how the diasporas constantly excuse criminals from among 'their own,' including those responsible for mass accidents ...."

The unit pledged to help "all interested indigenous residents of Russia," to bring down the "full power of the state machine against illegal migration." However, it does not appear, from media reports, that the bus driver was in fact a migrant worker. Media reports indicate that the driver had many years of experience, was employed legally, and underwent the necessary checks before the route. However, the driver's non-Russian ethnicity was highlighted by popular right-wing blogger and former Russian army veteran. His post, in which the authorities are also accused of trying to mask a terrorist attack as a traffic accident, is cited by the unit.

A few days later, following the reaction to these posts, the brigade emphasized that it supports "the strictest order in matters of migration and Abu-banditry," but will act strictly within the framework of the law. Perhaps this trend among the RAF units to enter the political field was propagated by the late head of a separate brigade, whose active social media presence contributed to turning the brigade into a recognizable and popular brand in Russia. However, perhaps because of the leader's suspicious death, the unit emphasizes its lack of political ambitions, despite some actions to the contrary.

It's also worth noting that former soldiers of that old brigade serve in the new one. The new unit is also establishing ties with other, much smaller organizations and various fan associations.

Screenshot of a Telegram post on December 24, 2024, in which the commander of the unit and a member of the fan club thank "all the brothers and sisters from the Russian Community for their contribution to our common victory, for their regular assistance to the front and our brothers in the trenches!"

These activities serve several goals: procurement of motivated recruits, equipment, and funds and influence over public opinion in the country. The unit regularly conducts recruitment through its social networks. For example, its Telegram channel posted a call on February 13, 2025, for military engineers, inventors, electronics engineers, experienced UAV operators, and other people with "golden hands" to join the brigade.

While noting the required qualifications to join, such as basic knowledge of computer networks, radio electronics, cartography, and aerodynamics, the post stressed that the potential recruits must share the "spirit of [the unit]" and the basic principles of the group (some of which are associated with soccer hooligan communities): "Strength and Honor," "No Retreat, No Surrender," and "Victory or Death." Other important principles for a recruit are strict sobriety; a sense of brotherhood; internal resolution of problems and conflicts; and loyalty to the group. “It's easy to join us, if you have the necessary experience, skills, ingenuity, and recommendations from the football teams. But one can only leave [Espanola] with disgrace or through death," concludes the post.

The sphere of public political activity in the country is largely and firmly controlled by the Kremlin. However, as the war in Ukraine continues, some RAF units are beginning to acquire the features of associations: symbols, ideology, and funds. They promote their own venerated figures – heroes of the battlefield – conduct their own, targeted recruitment. At the same time, members of these groups have combat experience, possess weapon-handling skills, and can act as a group. For now, it seems, the sphere of their involvement is limited to the permitted "anti-migrant agenda." However, the situation may change if relations with the Russian authorities deteriorate.