“These are not people you want on your side”

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, 70, spoke publicly on Thursday about a “terrorist attack” by Ukraine in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast. Russia wants to intimidate its own people to justify the aggressive war, refutes Volodymyr Zelensky’s (45) adviser Mykhailo Podoliak (51).

For his part, the founder of the «Russian Volunteer Corps» and well-known neo-Nazi Denis Nikitin explains the attack: «The Russian Volunteer Corps came to the Bryansk region to show our compatriots that there is hope and that the free Russian people can defeat the regime. fighting with arms can fight in hand.” He and his people “do not fight with civilians and do not kill the defenseless.”

Russian neo-Nazis fight for Ukraine? Quite problematic for Michael Colborne, investigative journalist at the Bellingcat platform. “These are not people that Ukraine needs – or should want – on its side,” he explained in an interview with Blick. “You can’t cover these people and their intentions.”

Is Selenski’s attack approved? – “Probably”

And that’s the problem, according to Colborne. “I am concerned about the international response to this incident.” Although he is not afraid of direct punishment from state actors, “such actions could lead to declining support for Ukraine among the Western population. People don’t like Putin, but they don’t like Nazis either.”

While in Western countries – especially Germany – neo-National Socialism is “the biggest enemy”, in Ukraine it is Russia. “I don’t think some Ukrainian people understand how problematic this move was,” says Colborne, “and how bad it looks for Ukraine’s international supporters.”

After the attack, leader Nikitin himself claimed that it took place with the blessing of the Ukrainian army. Colborne is also sure: “This was something that Ukraine’s military intelligence very likely approved!”

How does that help Ukraine? “Not at all.” Because: “The Volunteer Corps is far too small and untrained to have a military impact,” Colborne estimates. For the group, whose Telegram following has more than doubled in the past 24 hours, it’s all a promotional stunt. The attack on Bryansk is a perfect example of this. “It wasn’t about Ukraine. It wasn’t about Russia either. It was about the image of the corps.”

The journalist’s conclusion: a dangerous action, without military repercussions – which could put Ukraine in a precarious situation. “That’s why I’m so direct. I want to make it clear to the people in Ukraine: you don’t want these people on your team. They hurt you.”

Source: Blick