Ukraine conflict infographics - series and article
Infographics - to view and share and article summarising the nexus of ultranationalists and far-right ideology in Ukrainian military.
Latest iteration of an overview of ultranationalists, military units in Ukraine, currently active, linked to Bandera UPA OUN ideology of Ukrainian nationalism, Azov units, (now of Ukrainian Ground forces, as military intelligence and special operations units).
Outline of the International Legion, notably the Georgian Legion, lately in the spotlight in some Western MSM for killings, looting, banditry, bad leadership and rogue activities (Vice, Le Figaro, Washington Examiner, National Post).
A spate of atrocious killings, torture of Russian POWs were recorded in March, April, (photos, testimonies and videos), so I've included some of the units that carried out these atrocities.
It is really a hotchpotch of ghastly Bandera UPA OUN glorifiers - devotees, NATO member (ex)military safari scammers, nationalist units based on NATO/ Washington regime change disciples. Generally a motley group of rabidly anti-Russians factions, some of which are just little more than a Ukrainian PR projects in the endless whining quest for money and weapons.
BACKGROUND: 2014-2022
Creation of volunteer 'punisher' units, a combination of militias/paramilitary forces in order to support the official government forces in carrying out the designated "Anti-Terrorist Operation" ATO, in Donbass. Around 24 units were initially created, subsequently 8 were disbanded, where members went to other units, (St Marys) or went to jail for atrocities, (Tornado). Another 14 were reformed, (merged into other units or as new units).
37 of these were integrated into the Ukrainian military and National Guard.
Regarding the types of military Units from 2015 to 2022:
One of the most notorious, Azov Battalion was created in May 2014, as a punisher unit, becoming a BPSMOP, then integrated into the National Guard and now elements are part of the Ukrainian Special Forces, (SSO).
Another layer is the Territorial defence battalions, (32 or 46 such of these units) who continue to operate under the auspices of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Two of these gained notoriety, the 24th Territorial Defence Battalion, 'Aidar' and the 46th Separate Assault Battalion 'Donbas'. Both of these units changed, Aidar becoming the 24th Air Assault Battalion, (AFU) and parts of 'Donbas' become a National Guard unit. All of these 3 units were widely reported as having committed atrocities and carried out war crimes according to International organisations reports (OSCE, UN, Amnesty International amongst others).
Independent Units 2014-2022
Add into the mix a whole series of "independent formations", principally those belonging to Right Sector, (Praviy Sektor - Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (DUK) Добровольчий український корпус + Ukrainian Volunteer Army, (UDA) Українська добровольча армія).
Right Sector - March 2022
Below is an visual glimpse of the nature and ideology of a Right Sector unit, 'Wolves', (now formally part of Ukrainian SSO):
Foreign nationalist units linked to Right Sector (2014-2022)
Foreign units are those are vehemently opposed to their national governments or authorities. Usually advocate for Western-endorsed opposition leaders or regime change.
Some of the foreign units also have their roots in Neo-nazism, (e.g. Belarus - White Legion). The Belarus units also have links with Azov, (since some members previously served in Azov).
After February 2022
After the surrender and destruction of the main Azov unit in Mariupol, other units continued to exist, along with an expansion of other Azov affiliated units. Some of these are part of the TDF and others are special forces units, (SSO), fully integrated in the AFU.
Spin-offs with ex-Azov members include:
Newly created units occasionally pop up on social media and in the press. Some of these units are suspected to be part of an PR effort to keep the conflict in the public eye. Other units seemingly have been reorganised and rebranded.
New International Legion units:
Existing units now under the umbrella of the International Legion:
Independent units:
U.S.A PMCs
Existing units that have expanded to include foreigners:
NOTES: A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of over 300 people but there are units with over 1000 members.
The list is long and certainly not exhaustive.
Summary
The bottom line is that ultra nationalists, (Ukrainian and foreign) continue to provide a fighting force, some of which pack a punch well above their weight. One such case is Azov and Right Sector units, since they are part of Special Forces.
In a number of instances, Right-Sector units have formally become part of the Special Forces, (SSO), the very same special forces which had a unit 'green lighted' as operational by NATO and the US in 2019. The unit was "the first-ever non-NATO unit to pass" NATO certification, which meant it had become "eligible to deploy and operate under the umbrella of NATO’s Response Force, the NRF". The same Special Forces that have received "Gladio stay-behind" training in the US, since 2015.
Far-right and ultranationalist units are far more organised that Western media, pundits and commentors would like to even acknowledge, on a wider scale. It isn't a case that there are just "a handful' of Neo-nazis or far-right extremists in the Ukrainian military. Nazi symbology, (insignia, patches, graffiti, flags), is quite prevalent in the Ukrainian military and Right Sector insignia and flags are almost de rigeur in many units. Contrary to Western MSM and think tanks, the role of ultranationalists isn't exaggerated as they play an active role throughout the Ukrainian military, either as units or individual members.
Latest iteration of an overview of ultranationalists, military units in Ukraine, currently active, linked to Bandera UPA OUN ideology of Ukrainian nationalism, Azov units, (now of Ukrainian Ground forces, as military intelligence and special operations units).
Outline of the International Legion, notably the Georgian Legion, lately in the spotlight in some Western MSM for killings, looting, banditry, bad leadership and rogue activities (Vice, Le Figaro, Washington Examiner, National Post).
A spate of atrocious killings, torture of Russian POWs were recorded in March, April, (photos, testimonies and videos), so I've included some of the units that carried out these atrocities.
It is really a hotchpotch of ghastly Bandera UPA OUN glorifiers - devotees, NATO member (ex)military safari scammers, nationalist units based on NATO/ Washington regime change disciples. Generally a motley group of rabidly anti-Russians factions, some of which are just little more than a Ukrainian PR projects in the endless whining quest for money and weapons.
BACKGROUND: 2014-2022
Creation of volunteer 'punisher' units, a combination of militias/paramilitary forces in order to support the official government forces in carrying out the designated "Anti-Terrorist Operation" ATO, in Donbass. Around 24 units were initially created, subsequently 8 were disbanded, where members went to other units, (St Marys) or went to jail for atrocities, (Tornado). Another 14 were reformed, (merged into other units or as new units).
37 of these were integrated into the Ukrainian military and National Guard.
Regarding the types of military Units from 2015 to 2022:
- "Special Purpose Police Patrol Battalion", BPSMOP
- Ukrainian ground forces (AFU)
- National Guard
- Paramilitary
One of the most notorious, Azov Battalion was created in May 2014, as a punisher unit, becoming a BPSMOP, then integrated into the National Guard and now elements are part of the Ukrainian Special Forces, (SSO).
Another layer is the Territorial defence battalions, (32 or 46 such of these units) who continue to operate under the auspices of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Two of these gained notoriety, the 24th Territorial Defence Battalion, 'Aidar' and the 46th Separate Assault Battalion 'Donbas'. Both of these units changed, Aidar becoming the 24th Air Assault Battalion, (AFU) and parts of 'Donbas' become a National Guard unit. All of these 3 units were widely reported as having committed atrocities and carried out war crimes according to International organisations reports (OSCE, UN, Amnesty International amongst others).
Independent Units 2014-2022
Add into the mix a whole series of "independent formations", principally those belonging to Right Sector, (Praviy Sektor - Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (DUK) Добровольчий український корпус + Ukrainian Volunteer Army, (UDA) Українська добровольча армія).
Right Sector - March 2022
Below is an visual glimpse of the nature and ideology of a Right Sector unit, 'Wolves', (now formally part of Ukrainian SSO):
Foreign nationalist units linked to Right Sector (2014-2022)
Foreign units are those are vehemently opposed to their national governments or authorities. Usually advocate for Western-endorsed opposition leaders or regime change.
- Chechen - Dzhokhar Dudayev and Sheikh Mansour battalions.
- Crimean Tartar - Noman Chelebidzhikhan battalion and another unit.
- Georgian - Georgian National Legion
- Belarus - Tactical Group "Belarus"
- Bratstvo
- Aerial reconnaissance - Aerorozvidka (Аеророзвідка)
- Black Fog ("Чорний туман")
- Wolf (Вольф)
- Volyn (Волинь)
- Hospitallers
- Kalinosvky battalion (Belarus)
Some of the foreign units also have their roots in Neo-nazism, (e.g. Belarus - White Legion). The Belarus units also have links with Azov, (since some members previously served in Azov).
After February 2022
- The International Legion was created in March, as a Territorial Defence Unit (TDF).
- Right Sector units become integrated into the AFU in April.
- Foreign units linked to Right Sector continue to operate, some as paramilitary and others as part of the International Legion.
- Several Right Sector units have become SSO units, officially integrated into the military (AFU or military intelligence).
- New foreign units have been created under the International Legion.
- Far-right organisations continue to operate their units or contribute members to specific units, (i.e.OUN, 'Carpathian Sich').
- Various US-based Private Military Companies (PMC) operate in Ukraine.
After the surrender and destruction of the main Azov unit in Mariupol, other units continued to exist, along with an expansion of other Azov affiliated units. Some of these are part of the TDF and others are special forces units, (SSO), fully integrated in the AFU.
- Iron Hundred,
- Azov Prykarpattia,
- Navoz,
- Spartans,
- Azov Poltava,
- Azov Kyiv,
- Azov Dnipro,
- Azov Kharkiv
Spin-offs with ex-Azov members include:
- Kraken Special Detachment, (special forces - military Intelligence GUR)
- Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) *battalion (UPA OUN legacy)
- Ukrainian Freikorps (far-right)
- Svoboda (National Guard battalion)
- Karpatska Sich (C-14 linked + Svoboda origin) + spin offs 300 company + Britaniya III
- Sokil (youth wing of the Svoboda party)
- Tradition & Order (far-right)
- Boatsman Boys unit (probable links to Azov, with ex-Azov members)
- Northern Capital Boys (far-right)
Newly created units occasionally pop up on social media and in the press. Some of these units are suspected to be part of an PR effort to keep the conflict in the public eye. Other units seemingly have been reorganised and rebranded.
New International Legion units:
- Revanche Battalion^, (with a Polish detachment), (with neo-nazi Tradition & Order links)
- Canadian-Ukrainian Brigade;
- Freedom of Russia Legion, (Russian 'defectors' + regime change proponents ‘opposition’)
- Omega # (originally US SOF group, now part of SSO?)
- Legionnaires Special Service Group (LSSG), part of SSO?
- Vovkodav (with Misanthropic Division links)
- Russian Volunteer Corps
- Pahonia (Belarus)
Existing units now under the umbrella of the International Legion:
- Kastus Kalinovsky* Battalion (Belarus, White Legion neo-nazi links)
- Sheikh Mansur Dzhokhar* + Dudayev* Battalions, (Chechens)
- Crimea Battalion*, (Crimean Tatars)
- Georgian National Legion*, (Georgians, US, U.K & other foreign citizens)
Independent units:
- Norman Brigade (Canadian, U.K. military & others)
- The Mozart Group
U.S.A PMCs
- Academi
- Blackwater Ukraine
Existing units that have expanded to include foreigners:
- Bratstvo (UK, USA + Belarus fighters)
NOTES: A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of over 300 people but there are units with over 1000 members.
The list is long and certainly not exhaustive.
Summary
The bottom line is that ultra nationalists, (Ukrainian and foreign) continue to provide a fighting force, some of which pack a punch well above their weight. One such case is Azov and Right Sector units, since they are part of Special Forces.
In a number of instances, Right-Sector units have formally become part of the Special Forces, (SSO), the very same special forces which had a unit 'green lighted' as operational by NATO and the US in 2019. The unit was "the first-ever non-NATO unit to pass" NATO certification, which meant it had become "eligible to deploy and operate under the umbrella of NATO’s Response Force, the NRF". The same Special Forces that have received "Gladio stay-behind" training in the US, since 2015.
Far-right and ultranationalist units are far more organised that Western media, pundits and commentors would like to even acknowledge, on a wider scale. It isn't a case that there are just "a handful' of Neo-nazis or far-right extremists in the Ukrainian military. Nazi symbology, (insignia, patches, graffiti, flags), is quite prevalent in the Ukrainian military and Right Sector insignia and flags are almost de rigeur in many units. Contrary to Western MSM and think tanks, the role of ultranationalists isn't exaggerated as they play an active role throughout the Ukrainian military, either as units or individual members.